§r:. 


BV  1471  .H86  1910 
Hunting,  Harold  B.  1879- 

1958. 
Christian  life  and  conduct 


THE     BIBLE      STUDY     UNION     LESSONS 
INTERMEDIATE  GRADE 


CHRISTIAN   LIFE  AND 
CONDUCT 

BY 

REV.  HAROLD  B.  HUNTING 


Charles  F.  Kent,  Ph.D.  )  Cnn'^uiiinp  Editars 

George  A.  Coe.  Ph.D.,LL.D.1  ^°"^""*"«  ^*^^ 


CHARLES  SCRIBNER'S  SONS 

New  York 


Copyright,  1910,  by  the  Bible  Study  Publishing  Co.,  Boston. 


PREFACE. 

To  do  right  means,  for  a  child,  simply  obeying  father  and  mother.  He 
is  constantly  under  their  guidance  and  care.  As  boys  and  girls  grow  into 
manhood  and  womanhood,  however,  they  must  learn  to  decide  for  them- 
selves what  is  right  and  what  is  wrong.  This  is  not  always  easy.  This 
course  of  study  offers  them  help  by  showing  how  the  great  leaders  of  the 
Hebrew  people  struggled  with  such  questions  and  solved  them;  and 
finally  by  showing  how  they  were  solved  by  the  Great  Teacher. 

Part  I  is  a  study  of  the  moral  achievements  of  the  people  of  Israel,  as 
illustrated  in  their  laws.  It  shows  why  they  decided  that  some  actions 
were  right  and  others  wrong,  and  made  laws  accordingly.  It  is  also  shown 
that  the  principles  on  which  these  laws  rested  underlie  modern  laws  also. 

Part  II  is  a  study  of  the  moral  ideals  of  the  Hebrew  sages  and  prophets. 
To  be  a  truly  good  man  or  woman  means  much  more  than  not  breaking 
the  law.  In  these  great  moral  pioneers  of  Israel,  we  find  ideals  which  the 
world  has  only  just  begun  to  understand  and  appreciate. 

In  Part  III  we  study  the  teachings  of  Jesus  in  regard  to  certain  impor- 
tant life  problems.  Jesus  said  "I  am  the  way,  and  the  truth,  and  the 
life."  Men  have  ever  found  Him  the  supreme  moral  leader,  as  well  as 
the  supreme  source  of  spiritual  strength. 


lit 


OUTLINE  OF  LESSONS  IN  THE  COURSE. 


Part  I.     LIVING  ACCORDING  TO  THE  STANDARDS  OF  LAW. 


Pages 
3 

8 

15 

20 

27 

32 


Lesson    1.     The  Right  to  Life 

Laws  for  its  Protection. 
Lesson    2.     The  Right  to  Property 

How  it  is  Defined  by  Law. 
Lesson    3.     The  Right  to  Fair  Dealing 

The  Meanness  of  Cheating, 
Lesson    4.     The  Right  to  Rest 

The  Law  of  the  Sabbath. 
Lesson    5.     The  Right  to  Truth 

Why  Enforced  by  Law. 
Lesson    6.     Reverence  in  Speech  and  Conduct 

Laws  against  Blasphemy. 
Lesson    7.     The  Rights  of  Parents  .       .  ...       37 

The  Duty  of  Obedience  and  Respect. 
Lesson    8.     The  Rights  of  Dumb  Animals        ....       42 

Laws  against  Cruelty. 
Lesson    9.     The  Rights  of  the  Unprotected  .         .         .         .       46 

Laws  against  Oppression. 
Lesson  10.     Justice  in  Punishments  .....       53 

How  Responsibility  for  Wrong-doing  is  Determined 
by  Law. 
Lesson  11.     The  Right  of  the  State  to  Honest  Service  .       59 

The  Prohibition  of  Bribery. 
Lesson  12.     Review  ........       63 

Conduct  and  Law. 

Part  II.     LIVING  ACCORDING  TO  THE  STANDARDS  OF  THE 
SAGES  AND  PROPHETS. 

Lesson  13.     Negligence  and  its  Results  ....       68 

Ancient  Precepts  Inculcating  Carefulness. 
Lesson  14.     The  Cultivation  of  Habits   .....       74 

How  they  Make  for  Strength  or  Weakness. 
Lesson  15.     The  Importance  of  Self-control  ...       80 

Temperance  in  Good  Things.  Abstinence  from  Bad 
Things. 
Lesson  16.     The  Power  of  the  Tongue    .....       87 

The  Mischief  of  Inconsiderate  Speech. 
Lesson  17.     The  Dignity  of  Work 93 

The  Demoralizing  Effect  of  Laziness. 


V 


vt 


Introduction 


.  99 

.  105 

.  109 

.  115 

.  122 

.  128 

.  133 


Lesson  18.     The  Value  of  Contentment  .... 

The  Evil  Results  of  Covetousness. 
Lesson  19.     The  Folly  of  Boastfulness  .... 

Ancient  Estimates  of  Pride. 
Lesson  20.     The  Brotherhood  of  Man     .... 

The  Growth  of  an  Ideal. 
Lesson  21.     Suffering  for  Others  .... 

The  Highest  Form  of  Service. 
Lesson  22.     False  and  True  Worship 

Ceremony  vs.  Righteousness. 
Lesson  23.     The  Will  of  God  a  Rule  for  Living    . 

Ancient  Conceptions  of  God's  Character. 
Lesson  24.     Review  ....... 

Who  is  the  Wise  Man? 

Part  IIL    LIVING  ACCORDING  TO  THE   STAIsDARDS  OF  JESUS. 

Lesson  25.     The  Christian  and  his  Leader      .         .         .         .137 

How  to  be  a  Follower  of  Jesus. 
Lesson  26.     The  Christian  in  the  Family         .         .         .         .142 

How  Love  is  Expressed  through  Courtesy. 
Lesson  27.     The  Christian  and  his  Friends     ....     148 

The  Friendships  of  Jesus. 
Lesson  28.     The  Christian  and  his  Enemies     ....     155 

The  Power  of  Forgiveness. 
Lesson  29.     The  Christian  and  Little  Children      .         .         .160 

The  New  Chivalry  of  Jesus. 
Lesson  30.     The  Ambition    of  a  Christian       ....     165 

A  New  Kind  of  Greatness. 
Lesson  31.     The  Christian  and  his  Thoughts  .         ,         .170 

'  'Whatsoever  Things  are  Lovely." 
Lesson  32.     The  Christian  and  his  own  Wrong-doing     .         .     175 

What  to  Do  after  One  has  Yielded  to  Temptation. 
Lesson  33.     The  Christian's  Liberty 179 

The  Harmony  between  Freedom  and  Law. 
Lesson  34.     The  Life  of  Faith 184 

Strength  from  God  and  How  we  may  Have  it. 
Lesson  35.     The  Christian  and  his  Heavenly  Father      .         .     189 

Learning  how  to  Pray. 
Lesson  36.     Review 194 

The  Two  Great  Commandments,  as  Illustrated  in  the 
Lessons  of  this  Course. 


DIRECTIONS  FOR  STUDY 


In  studying  these  lessons 

(i)  Read  the  passages  in  the  Bible. 

(2)  Read  what  is  said  in  this  text-book  to  explain  and  illustrate 
the  passages  in  the  Bible. 

[3)  Under  the  questions  at  the  end  of  the  lesson  write  appropriate 
answers,  and  think  out  what  to  write  in  your  note-book  on  the  topics 
suggested. 

If  you  do  your  work  carefully,  your  text-book  and  note-book  will 
become  so  valuable  that  you  will  want  to  keep  them  permanently. 


mt 


Christian  Life  and  Conduct 


PART  I 
Living  According  to  the  Standards  of  Law 


INTRODUCTION. 


Boys  and  girls,  most  of  us  have  gone  camping  in  the  summer  time. 
Here  is  a  story  of  what  occurred  in  a  camp  of  boys.  In  this  camp 
there  was  a  set  of  rules ;  for  example,  all  the  boys  must  be  in  bed  and 
quiet  by  a  certain  time  every  night;  there  must  be  no  noisy  games 
and  loud  talking  on  Sunday;  no  one  was  to  stay  in  swimming  more 
than  an  hour,  and  there  were  other  rules  of  this  kind.  The  boys 
complained  that  the  rules  were  too  strict.  So  an  experiment  was 
made.  It  was  agreed  that  for  one  week  every  boy  should  be  allowed 
to  do  exactly  as  he  pleased.  But  every  time  a  boy  felt  that  his  rights 
were  interfered  with  in  any  way,  a  report  of  the  case  was  to  be  made 
in  writing. 

Promptly  on  Monday  morning,  the  new  plan  was  put  into  effect. 
In  less  than  an  hour,  written  complaints  began  to  pour  in.  Among 
those  handed  in  during  the  week  were  the  following: 

Fred  complained  that  when  he  went  in  swimming,  the  other  boys, 
who  were  larger  and  stronger  than  he,  tied  up  his  clothes.  George 
complained  that  John  had  borrowed  his  fine  new  razor  steel  jack- 
knife,  and  had  refused  to  return  it.  Tom  had  a  grievance  because 
when  he  was  tired  and  sleepy  at  night,  the  other  boys  kept  him  awake 
by  their  noisy  talk.  Finally,  all  the  boys  had  a  grievance  at  Jim. 
One  day  he  accidentally  set  on  fire  the  large  dining  tent,  so  that 
they  had  to  eat  their  meals  out  of  doors,  and  that  was  not  pleasant 
on  rainy  days.  At  the  close  of  the  week  all  the  boys  were  glad  to 
^  back  to  the  rules. 

1 


2  'Wirhtian  Life  and  Conduct 

Girls,  also,  often  complain  about  the  strictness  of  the  rules  that 
father  and  mother  or  teacher  expect  them  to  obey.  We  can  imagine 
a  similar  experiment  being  made  for  one  week  at  a  girls'  boarding 
school.     Probaoly  there  would  be  such  complaints  as  these: 

Nancy  is  always  late  to  breakfast;  and  Mary  and  Kate,  who  have 
charge  of  the  dining-room  work  this  week,  are  compelled  to  wait 
for  her,  and  are  late  to  first  hour  classes.  Mildred,  who  is  trying  to 
win  a  scholarship  by  high  marks  in  her  studies,  fails  in  several  recita- 
tions because  Kate  comes  into  her  room  at  all  hours. 

In  short,  these  girls  would  discover,  just  as  those  boys  in  camp 
discovered,  that  rules  are  necessary.  //  every  one  undertakes  to  do 
as  he  pleases,  no  one  can  do  as  he  pleases.  That  is  just  as  true  of  men 
and  women  as  of  boys  and  girls.  That  is  why  we  have  laws.  In 
this  course  we  are  to  study  some  of  the  more  important  laws,  which 
all  should  obey.  We  shall  try  to  understand  why  these  laws  are  im- 
portant. 

In  Part  I  we  take  up  certain  laws  which  have  been  written  down 
in  statute  books,  or  are  enforced  by  the  courts.  These  laws  we  shall 
find  in  the  law-books  of  the  Old  Testament — Exodus,  Leviticus, 
Numbers,  and  Deuteronomy — and  also  in  our  own  modern  law-books. 
The  ancient  Israelites  lived  under  a  system  of  government  in  many 
respects  like  ours,  and  the  laws  that  we  find  in  the  Pentateuch  are 
not  merely  "  something  written  in  the  Bible,"  but  actual  laws,  like 
the  laws  of  England  or  the  United  States.  For  example,  if  a  man 
robs  a  store  in  your  town,  he  is  arrested  by  the  sheriff  or  a  police- 
man, and  is  put  in  prison.  After  a  time  he  is  tried  before  a  judge 
and  jury,  and  if  he  is  found  guilty,  he  is  sentenced  to  some  punish- 
ment, whatever  the  law  of  the  state  requires.  This  sentence  is  carried 
out  by  the  sheriff  or  his  deputies.  In  ancient  Israel,  if  a  man  com- 
mitted a  robbery  or  other  crime,  he  was  usually  arrested  by  men 
called  "  elders  of  the  city  "  (see,  for  example,  1  Ki.  21:5-10).  These 
men  were  the  oldest  and  most  prominent  citizens  of  that  city,  and 
they  combined  in  themselves  the  offices  of  sheriff,  judge  and  jury. 
They  decided  whether  the  accused  person  was  guilty,  and  if  guilty 
they  saw  to  it  that  the  proper  punishment  was  inflicted.  They 
were  guided  in  all  such  cases  by  the  laws  which  we  find  in  the  Old 
Testament. 

So  you  see,  though  the  form  of  government  among  the  Israelites 
was  different  from  ours  in  many  ways,  yet  it  was  a  real  government, 
with  real  laws,  under  which  actual  men  and  women  lived. 


The  Right  to  Life  S 

Lesson  1.    THE  RIGHT  TO  LIFE.    Laws  for  its  Protection. 

Scripture  Lesson:  Ex.  20:13;  21:12-14;  Deut.  10:1-13;  22:8; 
Mt.  5:21,  22. 

Note  1.  The  Sacredness  of  Human  Life.  A  party  of  young 
men  recently  spent  an  afternoon  at  a  pleasure  resort.  While 
there,  two  of  them  got  into  a  dispute,  which  led  to  angry 
words,  then  to  a  fight,  and  finally  to  the  death  of  one  and  to 
the  imprisonment  of  the  other.  Neither  one  dreamed  of 
such  a  tragedy  when  he  began  the  fight.  The  one  who  was 
attacked  felt  that  he  had  a  right  to  protect  himself,  and  in 
so  doing  to  injure  the  other  as  much  as  he  could.  But 
human  life  is  a  priceless  possession,  which  no  one  has  a  right 
to  endanger  unless  it  be  clearly  his  duty.  The  Declaration 
of  Independence  affirms  that  "  all  men  are  endowed  with 
certain  inalienable  rights,  among  which  are  life,  liberty, 
and  the  pursuit  of  happiness.'*  Life  stands  highest  in  this 
list. 

Note  2.  Old  Testament  Laws  for  the  Protection  of  Human 
Life.  We  are  studying  in  this  lesson  a  fascinating  chapter 
in  the  story  of  the  upward  progress  of  the  human  race. 
We  are  to  see  how  from  long  past  ages  even  down  to  our  own 
day  there  has  been  a  developing  appreciation  of  the  value 
of  human  life.  Savages  held  life  cheap.  Anger,  hatred, 
and  greed  quickly  lead  to  bloodshed.  But  as  men  become 
more  civilized,  laws  are  framed  protecting  the  right  to  life 
by  severely  punishing  those  who  violate  them. 

In  the  early  days  of  Israel  the  responsibility  for  the  punish- 
ment of  the  crime  of  murder  rested  upon  the  nearest  male 
relative,  who  was  called  the  avenger  of  blood  (Deut.  19:6). 
There  were  many  evils  involved  in  that  custom.  The  * '  avenger 
of  bloo<i  "  in  his  anger  was  likely  to  go  too  far.  Frequently 
innocent  persons  who  had  accidentally  caused  the  death 
of  others  were  put  to  death.  Very  early  in  their  history, 
therefore,  the  Hebrews  passf^d  laws  for  the  protection  of  such 
persons  also.  In  Ex.  21:12-1-^  we  find  an  early  "law  of 
asylum."  "  If  a  man  lie  not  in  wait,  but  God  deliver  him 
into  his  hand,"  that  is,  if  the  killing  was  accidental,  he  might 
flee  to  God's  appointed  altar,  and  take  refuge  there.  But 
if  the  killing  had  been  intentional,  and  therefore  was  re-^^T  " 
murder,  the  priests  were  not  to  permit  the  murderer  to  take 


Christian  Life  and  Conduct 


Lesson 


refuge  in  the  temple.  They  were  to  deUver  him  to  the  avenger 
of  blood.  The  law  in  Deut.  19:1-13,  which  was  adopted 
somewhat  later  in  the  history  of  Israel,  carries  out  the  same 
principle.  Cities  of  refuge  were  to  be  appointed  in  different 
parts  of  the  land.  To  these  the  man  who  had  killed  another 
by  accident  might  flee.  If  he  could  prove  that  he  was  in- 
nocent of  murderous  purpose  he  was  permitted  to  remain 
in  the  city.  Otherwise  the  elders  of  his  home  town  were 
to  send  for  him  and  deliver  him  to  the  avenger  of  blood. 

The  law  in  Deut.  22:8  carried  a  long  step  forward  this 
effort  to  protect  human  life.  It  held  a  man  responsible 
not  merely  for  actual  violence  against  another  person,  but 
also  for  causing  death  through  neglect.  Oriental  houses 
were  flat-roofed,  and  people  spent  much  of  their  leisure 
time  on  the  *'  house-top."  This  law,  therefore,  commanded 
that  a  low  wall  or  battlement  should  be  built  around  the 
roof  of  every  house,  to  prevent  people  from  falling  over  the 
edge.     Do  you  not  think  it  was  a  good  law? 

Note  3.     Modern  Laws  for  the  Protection  of  Human  Life. 

The  humblest  person  is  of  importance  to  society.  Mur- 
der is,  therefore,  a  crime  committed  not  merely  against 
a  private  person,  but  against  the  entire  community.  When- 
ever a  murder  is  committed  a  blow  is  struck  at  you  and  me, 
even  though  the  victim  is  a  stranger  to  us.  Society,  like 
the  church  (1  Cor.  12:12-31),  resembles  a  living  organism. 
An  injury  to  any  part  is  an  injury  to  the  whole.  For  this 
reason,  in  our  modern  system  of  government,  the  whole 
community  assumes  the  responsibility  of  protecting  the  life 
of  every  member,  by  taking  the  right  to  punish  murder 
from  the  individual  and  giving  it  to  the  state. 

Modern  law  expresses  its  sense  of  the  sacredness  of  human 
life  by  making  the  penalties  for  taking  it  so  severe  as  to  keep 
men  from  giving  way  to  their  evil  passions.  The  penalty 
for  murder — the  unlawful  killing  of  a  human  being  with 
premeditated  malice — is,  accordingly,  the  severest  known 
to  modern  law,  either  death  or  imprisonment  for  life. 

There  are  many  cases,  however,  where  the  fatal  act  has 
not  been  planned  beforehand,  but  is  due  to  a  sudden  fit 
of  anger  or  is  committed  in  connection  with  some  unlawful 
deed.  Such  killing  the  law  designates  as  manslaughter,  or 
murder  in  the  second  degree,  and  punishes  by  imprisonment 


«^  The  Right  to  Life  5 

for  terms  of  years  varying  according  to  the  degree  of  guilt 
as  fixed  by  the  court. 

Our  modern  laws,  however,  do  not  take  away  a  person's 
right  to  defend  his  own  life,  whenever  necessary.  A  man 
may  even  go  so  far  as  to  kill  his  assailant,  as  for  example, 
a  burglar,  or  highway  robber,  if  that  is  necessary  in  order 
to  protect  himself  or  his  family.  But  our  laws  are  most 
carefully  framed,  so  as  to  limit  this  right  to  kill  in  self-defense 
strictly  to  those  cases  where  it  is  really  necessary.  There 
must  have  been  no  way  of  escape,  the  danger  must  have  been 
immediate,  and  the  man  who  kills  in  self-defense  must  have 
been  himself  "  without  fault,"  that  is,  if  he  himself  started 
the  fight  in  which  his  opponent  is  finally  killed,  he  cannot 
justify  himself  on  the  ground  of  self-defense. 

Note  4.  Modern  Sanitary  and  Industrial  Laws.  This 
growing  sense  of  the  right  to  life  is  further  illustrated  by 
many  laws  which  have  been  passed  within  the  last  few 
decades.  These  are  similar  in  spirit  to  the  law  in  Deut. 
22:8.  In  almost  all  our  towns  there  are  ordinances  which 
prohibit  spitting  in  street  cars  and  public  buildings.  This 
is  to  prevent  the  spread  of  tuberculosis.  In  all  our  cities 
there  are  laws  which  regulate  the  erection  of  buildings.  It 
is  no  longer  legal  for  unscrupulous  contractors  to  build 
hotels,  public  schools,  or  theaters,  which  shall  prove  "bo  be 
*'  fire  traps,"  or  which  are  liable  to  tumble  down  upon  people's 
heads.  Railroads  are  required  to  adopt  safety  appliances 
on  their  cars,  and  are  being  compelled  more  and  more  to  do 
away  with  dangerous  grade  crossings.  In  fact,  we  are  living 
in  the  midst  of  a  great  crusade  for  the  protection  of  life. 
This  is  partly  because  the  rapid  development  of  modern 
machinery  has  multiplied  the  sources  of  danger,  especially 
in  our  crowded  cities.  But  it  is  also  true  that  men  are  com- 
ing to  appreciate  as  never  before  the  sacredness  of  human 
life. 

Note  5.     How  the  New  Testament  Safeguards  Human  Life. 

To  Jesus,  more  than  to  any  other  influence  in  history,  we 
owe  this  increasing  estimate  of  the  value  of  life.  Even  a 
sparrow's  life,  He  said,  was  not  without  value.  **  Not  one 
of  them  shall  fall  on  the  ground  without  your  Father." 
And  yet  they  were  sold  in  the  market,  two  for  a  penny. 
"  Ye  are  of  more  value  than  many  sparrows,"  Jesus  added. 


6  Christian  Life  and  Conduct  Lesson 

"  The  very  hairs  of  your  head  are  all  numbered  "  (Mt.  10:29- 
31).  It  was  natural,  therefore,  that  Jesus  should  condemn 
whatever  might  tend  to  cheapen  human  life.  Thus  the 
Old  Testament  law  against  the  actual  taking  of  life  was 
applied  by  Jesus  (Mt.  5:21,  22)  to  all  angry  and  malicious 
thoughts  and  words.  "  Every  one  who  is  angry  with  his 
brother  [that  is,  unjustly  angry]  shall  be  in  danger  of  the 
judgment."  Had  the  young  men  whose  story  is  told  in 
Note  1  been  living  in  accordance  with  the  spirit  of  Jesus, 
that  tragedy  never  would  have  occurred. 

EXPLANATION  OF  PHRASES  IN  THE  SCRIPTURE  LESSON. 

Deut.  19 : 1.  When  Jehovah  thy  God  shall  cut  off  the  na- 
tions whose  land  Jehovah  thy  God  giveth  thee:  That  is,  when 
the  Israelites  are  fully  settled  in  the  land  of  Canaan. 
Deut.  19:3.  The  borders  of  thy  land:  All  the  territory  of 
Canaan.  Into  three  parts:  A  northern  district,  a  central 
and  a  southern.  Deut.  19:4.  This  is  the  case  of  the  man- 
slayer:  That  is,  the  law  in  the  case  of  any  one  who  has 
killed  another  person.  Mt.  5  :  22,  23.  Raca:  A  Hebrew  word 
with  about  the  same  meaning  as  "  you  fool."  Jesus  taught 
that  all  these  hateful  expressions  and  even  the  malicious 
thought  itself  are  murderous  in  spirit  and  wrong  in  the 
sight  of  God. 

THOUGHTS  FROM  OTHER  SOURCES. 

**  Confusion  now  hath  made  his  masterpiece. 
Most  sacrilegious  murder  hath  broke  ope 
The  Lord's  anointed  temple,  and  stole  thence    - 
The  life  o'  the  building." 

■ — Shakespeare. 

"  Revenge  is  a  kind  of  wild  justice,  which  the  more  man's  nature 
runs  to,  the  more  ought  law  to  weed  it  out." — Bacon. 

•*  Laborin'  man  and  laborin'  woman 
Hev'  one  glory  and  one  shame, 
Ev'ythin'  thet's  done  inhuman 
Injers  all  on  'em  the  same." 

— Lowell. 

''*  Boys  flying  kites  draw  in  their  white-winged  birds. 
You  can't  do  that  way  when  you're  flying  words." 

— Will  Carleton. 


On*  The  Right  to  Life  7 

DIRECTIONS  FOR  HOME  STUDY. 

Questions  on  the  Lesson.  Before  writing  the  answers,  read  care- 
fully all  the  Scripture  passages  referred  to  at  the  beginning  of  this 
lesson. 

1.  By  whom  was  the  crime  of  murder  punished  among  the  ancient 
Hebrews?     (Note  2.) 


2.  What  would  be  one  of  the  evil  results  of  this  method  of  executing 
justice  ? 


3.  What  example  is  given  in  the  law  in  Deuteronomy  of  the  accidents 
which  were  likely  to  occur  in  those  days?     (Deut.  19:4-6.) 


4.  What  provision  was  made  by  the  Hebrew  laws  for  the  protec- 
tion of  persons  who  had  killed  others  by  accident?     (Ex.  21: 13.) 


5.  How  many  cities  were  set  apart  by  this  law  as  cities  of  refuge 
to  which  the  innocent  manslayer  might  flee?     (Deut.  19: 1-3,  7-10.) 


6.  How  many  were  east  of  the  Jordan,  and  how  many  were  west 
of  the  Jordan  ?     (Josh.  20 : 7-9.) 


7.  Locate  these  cities  on  the  map  in  your  Bible. 

8.  When  a  Hebrew  built  a  new  house,  what  did  the  law  require 
him  to  do  for  the  protection  of  Hfe? 


9.  What  is  said  in  modern  laws  about  self-defense?     (Note  3.) 


8  Christian  Life  and  Conduct  ^««<^ 

10.  Wliat  are  some  modern  laws  for  the  protection  of  human  life? 


11.  How  did  Jesus  make  more  strict  and  far-reaching  the  command 
against  murder?     (Note  5.) 


Note-book  Work.  Write  a  short  essay  on  quarreling  and  fighting, 
considering  the  following  questions:  When,  if  ever,  is  it  right  to 
light?  Suppose  two  boys  or  two  girls  in  school  get  into  a  quarrel, 
and  try  to  injure  each  other  in  every  possible  way,  do  they  injure 
the  rest  of  their  classmates  as  well  as  each  other?     In  what  ways? 


Lesson  2.     THE  RIGHT  TO  PROPERTY.     How  it  is 

Defined  by  Law. 

Scripture  Lesson,  Ex.  20:  15;  22: 1-4;  Deut.  19: 14;  27: 17;  23:24,  25; 
24:6,  10-13;  Mt.  6:31-33. 

Note    1.     The  Need  of   Clear  Ideas   concerning  Property. 

Of  course  the  boy  or  girl  who  is  using  this  lesson  will  not 
steal ;  that  is,  will  not  pick  a  pocket  on  the  street,  nor  break 
into  a  neighbor's  house  at  night  and  carry  off  his  property. 
But  there  are  ways  of  taking  what  belongs  to  other  people 
that  are  just  as  truly  stealing,  though  they  may  pass  under 
less  disagreeable  names.  Some  of  these  ways  are  practised 
by  respectable  persons  who  pride  themselves  on  their  smart- 
ness, and  who  would  hotly  resent  being  called  thieves.  For 
example,  many  persons  see  no  harm  in  cheating  a  street- 
car company.  If  the  conductor  does  not  ask  for  their  fare, 
they  pocket  the  money  with  a  chuckle.  Such  persons  need 
to  feel  more  keenly  the  duty  of  honesty  in  even  small  matters 
of  property. 

Note   2.     The   Purpose   of   Laws   regarding   Property.     In 

partially  civilized  countries,  robbery  and  theft  are  seldom 
strongly  condemned  by  public  sentiment.  Things  are  kept 
or  lost  according  to 

"  the  good  old  plan 
That  they  shall  take  who  have  the  power 
And  they  shall  keep  who  can." 


Two  The  Right  to  Property  9 

Even  in  England  as  late  as  the  twelfth  century  the  explrits 
of  Robin  Hood  seem  to  have  been  approved,  at  least  by 
the  EngUsh  peasantry.  In  the  long  border  struggle  be- 
tween England  and  Scotland,  the  raids  of  the  Highlanders, 
with  the  "  lifting "  of  the  English  cattle,  were  regarded, 
at  least  among  the  raiders,  as  a  proper  means  of  livelihood. 
In  the  early  days  of  Hebrew  history  similar  conditions  pre- 
vailed. Even  Jephthah  appears  to  have  been  a  brigand 
before  he  was  called  to  be  the  deliverer  of  his  people  (Jud. 
ch.  11).  This  lawlessness,  in  all  these  cases,  was  an  injury 
to  the  community  as  a  whole.  Merchants  feared  to  send 
money  or  goods  from  one  town  to  another.  People  feared 
to  make  journeys  of  any  kind.  Naturally  the  roads  were 
not  kept  up,  the  mud  making  them  almost  impassable  after 
rains.  Every  one  was  poor.  Houses  were  mean  in  appear- 
ance, and  uncomfortable  to  live  in.  Gradually,  however, 
people  began  to  realize  that  it  would  be  better  for  all,  if 
each  individual  could  be  protected  in  the  possession  of  his 
property.  Laws  were  enacted,  and  enforced,  against  various 
forms  of  theft.  Social  order  was  established.  Material 
prosperity  increased,  and  civilization  rapidly  advanced. 

Thus  we  see  that  laws  punishing  theft  and  protecting 
private  property  were  first  established,  not  only  for  the 
purpose  of  benefiting  private  persons  who  might  be  robbed, 
but  also  and  perhaps  chiefly  to  benefit  the  community  as 
a  whole. 

Note  3.  Old  Testament  Laws  regarding  Property.  Among 
the  most  ancient  of  these  Old  Testament  laws  are  those 
found  in  Ex.  20:15,  and  22:1-4,  forbidding  stealing,  and 
defining  the  punishment  for  theft.  Under  these  laws  the 
Hebrews  lived  as  nomads  in  the  earliest  centuries  of  their 
history.  The  principal  form  of  theft  with  which  the  law 
had  to  deal  was  that  of  sheep  and  cattle.  In  Deut.  19:14, 
and  27:17,  there  is  a  law  prohibiting  the  stealing  of  land. 
Boundaries  between  different  fields  were  commonly  marked 
in  those  days  by  large  stones,  called  "  landmarks."  An 
unscrupulous  person  could  increase  the  size  of  his  .own  field 
by  moving  the  stones  farther  over  upon  his  neighbor's  land. 
This  law  evidently  comes  down  to  us  from  a  time  when  the 
Hebrews  had  passed  from  a  nomadic  to  an  agricultural  type 
of    civilization.     Such    laws    represent    efforts    to    suppress 


10  Christian  Life  and  Conduct  Lesson 

lawlessness  and  establish  order.  The  object  is  not  merely 
to  protect  individuals,  but  to  benefit  the  people  as  a  whole. 
Why  should  the  man  who  has  stolen  one  ox  be  required  to 
pay  back  five  oxen,  since  the  owner  would  usually  be  glad 
to  get  back  his  one  ox?  The  reason  is  that  the  cattle  thief 
has  injured  not  merely  the  one  man  from  whom  he  has  stolen, 
but  the  whole  community.  He  has  made  people  feel  that 
cattle  raising  is  an  unsafe  occupation.  Those  who  are  en- 
gaged in  it  do  not  dare  to  use  pastures  far  from  home,  and 
cannot  raise  large  herds.  So  the  whole  community  is  the 
poorer.  Hence  the  thief  is  made  to  pay  a  heavy  penalty, 
besides  restoring  the  stolen  property.  By  this  m.eans,  he 
and  other  men,  who  might  in  the  future  be  tempted  to  steal, 
are  deterred.     The  whole  community  is  thus  protected. 

There  have  always  been  people  who  have  not  understood 
the  purpose  of  such  laws.  They  interpret  the  right  to  prop- 
erty as  the  right  to  do  with  it  as  one  pleases.  But  Deut. 
23:24,  25  and  24:6,  10-13  show  that  a  man's  property  is 
not  absolutely  his  own.  To  be  sure,  he  has  a  right  to  use  it 
and  enjoy  it,  in  a  proper  manner.  But  it  is  his  duty  to  use 
it  for  the  good  of  others  besides  himself.  The  starving  man 
had  a  claim  on  his  neighbor's  field  of  golden  grain,  or  his 
vineyard  loaded  with  ripe  grapes.  The  man  who  had  money 
to  lend  could  not  legally  take  in  pledge  his  poor  neighbor's 
millstone  which  he  needed  in  order  to  prepare  his  daily  food. 
His  ownership  was  not  absolute.  Fe  had  no  right  to  use 
his  money  to  drive  hard  bargains. 

Note  4.  Modern  Laws  regarding  Property.  Our  present 
laws  on  this  subject  fill  many  volumes.  This  is  due  to  the 
complexity  of  modern  civilization.  The  early  Israelites 
did  not  possess  a  great  variety  of  property.  The  poorest 
man  to-day  enjoys  luxuries  of  which  the  w^ealthiest  Israelite 
never  dreamed.  Hence  we  need  a  great  many  more  laws 
for  the  protection  of  property. 

Ordinary  theft  is  known  as  "  larceny."  Larceny  of  more 
than  "  twelve  pence  "  was  called  *'  grand  larceny  "  in  Old 
English  law.  In  some  parts  of  the  United  States  the  limit 
is  fixed  at  $25,  in  others  at  $50.  "  Robbery  "  is  larceny 
from  the  person  with  force,  that  is,  larceny  plus  assault. 
.Embezzlement  is  the  appropriation  for  one's  own  use  ^  of 
money  entrusted  to  one's  care.     Forgery  is  the  obtaining 


Two  jhe  Right  to  Property  11 

of  money  by  signing  another  man's  name  to  a  check.  Bur- 
glary always  means  breaking  into  a  building,  for  the  purpose 
of  stealing.  All  these  crimes  are  usually  punished  by  terms 
of  imprisonment,  and  are  thereby  recognized  even  more 
clearly  than  in  the  ancient  Hebrew  laws  as  offenses  against 
the  whole  community. 

There  are  three  chief  ways  in  which  property  may  be 
legally  acquired:  by  inheritance,  or  gift,  by  personal  labor, 
and  by  trade.  In  every  trade,  both  parties  to  the  transac- 
tion should  be  benefited.  For  example,  a  farmer  raises 
wheat.  A  shoemaker  makes  shoes.  The  farmer  is  glad 
to  exchange  wheat  for  shoes.  The  shoemaker  is  equally 
glad  to  exchange  shoes  for  wheat.  The  man  who  conducts 
a  grocery  store  or  clothing  store  is  therefore  benefiting  the 
whole  community. 

Gambling,  on  the  other  hand,  is  an  injury  to  the  whole 
community.  It  promotes  laziness  and  cheating.  For  the 
gambler's  whole  soul  is  consumed  by  the  passion  to  "  win 
next  time."  Honest  toil  is  too  unexciting  to  appeal  to  his 
demoralized  passions.  The  law  therefore  prohibits  ga,mbling 
houses.  Thus  we  see  that  modern  law,  like  the  ancient 
Hebrew  law,  while  carefully  protecting  the  right  to  property, 
does  not  interpret  that  right  as  freedom  to  do  with  one's 
property  wholly  as  one  pleases.  No  one  has  a  right  to  use 
his  money  in  such  a  way  as  to  injure  his  fellow  men. 

Note    5.     The    Teaching    of    Jesus    about    Property.     Mt. 

6:31-33.  The  teaching  of  Jesus  implies  this  same  idea  of 
the  right  to  property  which  we  have  traced  in  the  laws  of 
the  Old  Testament  and  in  our  modern  laws.  Jesus  reminds 
us  that  we  are  all  brothers  and  sisters,  children  of  our  heavenly 
Father.  Strictly  speaking,  we  do  not  earn  the  material 
good  things  which  we  enjoy.  The  richness  of  the  soil,  the 
warmth  of  the  sunshine,  the  showers  of  refreshing  rain,  are 
given  to  us  by  our  Father.  But  they  are  not  given  to  us 
to  use  selfishly.  Our  chief  business  in  life  is  to  seek  first 
God's  kingdom,  the  reign  of  justice  and  brotherhood  among 
men.  All  needful  things  are  "  added  unto  us,"  to  be  used 
for  this  end.  I  cannot  claim,  therefore,  that  I  own,  ab- 
solutely, anything  that  I  possess.  Even  the  food  that  I 
eat  God  has  given,  not  only  for  my  personal  health  and 
pleasure,  but  also  that  I  may  thereby  be  more  useful  to  my 


12  Christian  Life  and  Conduct  ^^^^"^ 

fellow  men.  It  is  my  duty  to  share  the  strength  of  that 
food  with  my  brothers  and  sisters.  Nothing  is  strictly 
mine.  Everything  is  ours.  In  all  questions  of  property, 
therefore,  we  should  strive  to  conduct  ourselves  in  a  brotherly 
way.  This  means,  of  course,  that  we  must  not  disturb 
others  in  the  rightful  possession  of  what  God  has  given  to 
them. 

EXPLANATION  OF  PHRASES  IN  THE  SCRIPTURE  LESSON. 

Ex.  22  : 1-4.  The  sense  of  this  passage  will  be  somewhat 
clearer  if  the  verses  are  read  in  the  following  order:  1,  4, 
36,  2,  3a.  This  brings  together  the  clauses  which  logically 
belong  together.  Ex.  22  : 3.  He  shall  be  sold  for  his  theft : 
Sold  into  slavery  to  pay  for  what  he  has  stolen.  Deut.  27  :  17. 
And  all  the  people  shall  say,  Amen:  That  is,  in  the  public 
reading  of  the  law.  Deut.  23 :  24.  Thou  mayest  eat  of 
grapes  thy  fill:  This  humane  law  would  not  work  well  now. 
The  population  of  our  country  is  so  much  greater  than  that 
of  ancient  Palestine  that  many  a  vineyard  or  orchard  might 
easily  be  stripped  of  fruit,  if  every  traveler  might  stop  to  eat 
his  fill.  Deut.  24  :  6.  The  mill  or  the  upper  millstone:  "  The 
handmill  consists  of  two  circular  stones,  one  of  which  is 
placed  on  top  of  the  other,  and  the  upper  and  lower  surfaces 
of  each  of  them  are  flat.  From  the  center  of  the  lower  stone, 
a  strong  pin  of  wood  passes  through  a  funnel-shaped  hole 
-in  the  upper  stone.  Into  this  hole,  the  grain  to  be  ground 
is  thrown,  and  it  escapes  as  flour  between  the  two  stones  at 
the  circumference,  and  falls  on  a  smooth  sheepskin  which 
is  placed  under  the  lower  stone.  On  the  surface  of  the 
upper  stone,  near  the  circumference,  the  handle  is  inserted." 
— Hastings'  Dictionary  of  the  Bible.  Deut.  24  :  10.  Thou  shalt 
not  go  into  his  house  to  fetch  his  pledge:  If  the  lender  could  go 
into  a  man's  house  and  find  out  exactly  what  he  possessed, 
he  could  then  demand  unreasonably  valuable  pledges  as 
security  for  the  payment  of  the  loan.  The  borrower,  in 
case  he  needed  the  money  very  badly,  might  feel  compelled 
to  yield  to  these  unjust  demands.  Deut.  24:12.  Thou 
shalt  not  sleep  with  his  pledge:  Thou  shalt  not  keep  the  pledge 
at  night.  That  is,  "If  a  man  gives  you  as  a  pledge  his 
garment,  you  are  to  allow  him  to  come  for  it  every  evening, 
that  he  may  be  protected  during  the  night  from  the  cold." 
Deut.  24:13.     His  garment:  "The  garment    referred   to    is 


Ttoo  The  Right  to  Property  13 

the  largest  and  heaviest  article  of  Oriental  dress,  bein^  the 
dress  of  travel,  worn  for  protection  against  cold  and  rain, 
and  used  as  a  covering  during  sleep.  It  consists  of  a  piece 
of  cloth  about  7  feet  long,  and  43^  wide." — Hastings'  Diction- 
ary of  the  Bible.  Mt.  6  :31.  Be  not  therefore  anxious  :  This 
does  not  mean  that  we  are  not  to  provide  beforehand  for  our 
daily  needs;  but  rather  that  we  are  not  to  waste  our  energy 
in  useless  worries,  and  that  the  chief  concern  of  life  should 
be  something  larger  and  nobler  than  mere  eating  and  drinking. 

THOUGHTS  FROM  OTHER  SOURCES. 

"  He  that  steals  an  egg,  will  soon  steal  an  ox." — Old  Proverb. 

"  He  that  loseth  his  honesty  hath  nothing  else  to  lose." — Lyly, 

'*  Rich  through  my  brothers'  poverty? 
Such  wealth  were  hideous :  I  am  blest 
Only  in  what  they  share  with  me, 

In  what  I  share  with  all  the  rest." — Anon, 

DIRECTIONS  FOR  HOME  STUDY. 

Questions  on  the  Lesson.  Before  answering  these  questions  read 
carefully  all  the  Scripture  passages  referred  to  at  the  beginning  of 
the  lesson. 

1.  What  is  the  ptirpose  of  laws  regarding  property? 


2,  In  the  early  days  of  Israel,  if  a  man  stole  an  animal,  and  was 
detected  before  he  killed  it,  or  sold  it,  what  was  the  penalty?  (Ex. 
22:4.) 


3.  If  the  thief-  had  killed  or  sold  the  stolen  animal,  what  was  the 
penalty  (a)  in  the  case  of  an  ox,  and  (b)  in  the  case  of  a  sheep  ?  (Ex. 
22:1.) 


4.  What  was  the  Hebrew  law  regarding  the  killing  of  a  burglar 
by  the  man  whose  house  was  being  robbed:  (a)  in  case  the  attempt 
were  made  at  night;  (6)  in  case  it  were  made  by  day?     (Ex.  22.  2,  3.) 


6.   How  could  land  be  stolen,  in  ancient  Israel?     (Note  3.) 


14  Christian  Life  and  Conduct  Lesson 

6.  Suppose  a  man  should  pass  through  his  neighbor's  vineyard 
or  field  of  standing  grain,  to  what  extent  was  he  permitted  to  help 
himself?     (Deut.  23:24,  25.) 


7.  Name  an  article  which  according  to  the  Hebrew  law  could  not 
be  taken  as  a  pledge  from  a  debtor  to  a  creditor.  Why  was  this  law 
enacted? 


8.  What  was  the  law  regarding  the  taking  of  a  man's  garment  as 
a  pledge?     (Deut.  24: 12,  13.) 


9.  For  what  purpose,  according  to  Jesus,  ought  we  to  use  the  good 
things  given  to  us  by  our  Father  in  heaven?     (Mt.  6:31-33;  Note  5.) 


10.  What  is  the  true  meaning  of  the  right  to  property?  Is  there 
anything  of  which  a  man  can  truly  say,  "  It  belongs  to  me,  and  only 
to  me,  and  I  can  do  with  it  as  I  please  "? 


11.  "I  don't  believe  in  gambling,"  said  one  young  man  to  another. 

"  Why  not?  "  was  the  answer.  "  If  the  other  fellow  wants  to  risk 
his  money,  isn't  it  his  own  money?  Can  he  not  do  as  he  pleases 
with  it?  "     How  would  you  answer  the  latter  speaker? 


Note-book  Work.  Write  your  opinion  on  one  or  all  of  the  follow- 
ing topics:  What  do  you  think  of  the  "swiping"  of  souvenirs  from 
hotels?  To  what  extent  would  it  harm  other  people  for  one  to  take 
in  that  way  an  article  of  small  value? 

What  is  legitimate  business?  Find  out  what  is  the  law  in  your 
town  regarding  gambling. 

If  a  man  cheats  the  street-car  company  by  not  paying  his  fare, 
how  may  that  injure  you? 


Three  The  Right  to  Fair  Dealing  16 

Lesson    3.    THE    RIGHT    TO    FAIR    DEALING.    The 

Meanness  of  Cheating. 

Scripture  Lesson,  Lev.   19:35-37;  Deut.  25:13-16;  Prov.   11:1; 
20:10,  23;Micah  6:10,  IL 

Note  1.     The  Prevalence  of  Some  Forms  of  Cheating.     In 

October,  1910,  a  boat  might  have  been  seen  going  down 
New  York  harbor  carrying  what  was  perhaps  the  strangest 
cargo  ever  shipped.  It  was  a  load  of  false  scales  and  meas- 
ures to  be  dumped  into  the  Atlantic.  They  had  been  con- 
fiscated during  the  summer,  in  various  parts  of  the  city,  by 
Clement  J.  Driscoll,  commissioner  of  weights  and  measures. 
Mr.  Driscoll' s  campaign  has  shown  that  this  kind  of  dis- 
honesty is  very  common.  Every  one  knows  that  business 
brings  many  temptations  to  dishonesty.  Indeed,  there 
are  people  who  say  that  it  is  impossibe  to  be  successful  in 
business  and  be  absolutely  honest.  They  quote  David 
Harum's  version  of  the  Golden  Rule  as  applied  to  a  horse 
trade  :  "  Do  unto  the  other  feller  as  he  would  do  unto  you — 
and  do  it  fust."  There  are  students  who  speak  in  the  same 
way  regarding  cheating  in  examinations.  "  Practically  every- 
body cribs,"  they  say.  "  If  you  do  not  you  cannot  keep 
up  with  your  class."  Are  these  statements  true?  That  is 
one  of  the  questions  before  us  in  this  lesson. 

Note  2.  Origin  of  Laws  against  Cheating.  Among  semi- 
civilized  races,  there  is  little  opportunity  for  cheating,  be- 
cause there  is  little  buying  and  selling.  Among  the  early 
Israelites,  for  example,  nearly  every  one  raised  sheep  and 
cattle  and  lived  on  their  products.  But  when  many  different 
occupations  develop,  and  people  begin  to  exchange  goods 
one  with  another,  it  becomes  necessary  to  have  systems 
of  measurement.  Many  kinds  of  trickery  are  thus  made 
possible.  Laws  become  necessary  in  order  to  protect  the 
community  from  swindlers. 

Note  3.     Hebrew  Laws  against  Dishonest  Measures.     The 

laws  in  Lev.  19:35-37  and  Deut.  25:13-16  prohibit  the  use 
of  dishonest  weights  and  measures.  Special  reasons  are 
given  for  obedience.  *'  I  am  Jehovah  your  God,  who  brought 
you  out  of  the  land  of  Egypt  "  (Lev.  19:36).  Jehovah  had 
done  so  much  for  His  people  that  in  return  they  owed  Him 
absolute  obedience.  The  solemn  words  seem  to  imply  that 
cheating  is  a  particularly  heinous  sin,  in  the  eyes  of  Jehovaii, 


16  Christian  Life  and  Condtict  Lesson 

In  Deut.  25:16  we  read,  "All  that  do  such  things  .  .  . 
are  an  abomination  unto  Jehovah  thy  God."  The  same 
word,  abomination,  is  applied  to  false  measures  in  the  pas- 
sages in  Proverbs  (11:1;  20:10,  23).  In  Micah,  also  (6:10), 
a  scant  measure  is  said  to  be  abominable.  This  word  em- 
phasizes the  meanness  of  cheating.  It  is  among  the  most 
contemptible  of  crimes.  The  thief  takes  certain  risks.  His 
victim  is  likely  to  defend  himself  in  various  ways.  But 
the  cheat  is  the  thief  and  the  coward  and  the  sneak,  all  in 
one.  He  seeks  to  rob  his  fellow  men  by  unfair  means,  against 
which  they  are  unable  to  defend  themselves.  There  may 
be  "  honor  even  among  thieves."  There  is  certainly  no 
honor  among  habitual  cheaters.  The  false  weight,  and  all 
such  meanness  is  indeed  an  abomination  not  only  to  Jehovah, 
but  to  all  fair-minded  men. 

Note  4.  Modern  Laws  against  Cheating.  The  old  English 
law  prohibited  the  use  of  false  weights  and  measures  and  all 
forms  of  cheating  "of  a  nature  against  which  common 
prudence  cannot  guard."  A  mere  lie  could  not  be  punished. 
The  law  was  based  on  the  old  Latin  principle,  caveat  emptor, 
which  means,  "  let  the  buyer  beware."  As  the  volume  of 
business  increased,  however,  the  old  law  was  felt  to  be  in- 
sufficient, and  statutes  were  enacted  against  the  obtaining 
of  "  money,  goods,  wares  and  merchandise,"  under  false 
pretenses.  These  statutes  have  been  copied  in  all  the  Ameri- 
can states.  They  apply  to  many  forms  of  cheating  beside 
the  use  of  dishonest  weights  and  measures.  To  give  a  check 
on  a  bank  in  which  one  has  no  money  is  to  obtain  money 
under  false  pretenses.  Not  many  years  ago,  a  man  who 
pretended  to  be  a  physician  and  accepted  money  from  an 
ignorant  person  for  so-called  "  professional  services,"  was 
convicted  under  this  law.  Only  recently  a  case  was  reported 
in  the  newspapers  of  a  coal  dealer  who  was  paid  for  three 
tons  of  coal.  The  woman  who  bought  it,  suspecting  that 
she  had  been  cheated,  had  the  coal  taken  out  and  weighed, 
and  found  only  a  ton  and  a  half.  The  dealer  was  arrested. 
The  punishment  for  obtaining  property  under  false  pre- 
tenses is  a  fine  or  a  term  of  imprisonment,  according  to  the 
value  of  the  property  dishonestlv  acquired. 

Certain  forms  of  cheating  are  deal-*-  with  by  our  federal 
government.  The  use  of  the  mails  for  swindling  schemes 
of   any   kind    is   severely   punished.     Makers   c^   r.onnterfeit 


Three  xhe  Right  to  Fair  Dealing  17 

money  are  pursued  by  detectives  with  the  utmost  energy, 
and  if  caught  and  convicted,  are  sent  to  a  federal  penitentiary 
for  long  terms. 

One  way  in  which  the  government  has  done  much  to  en- 
courage honesty  in  business  is  by  providing  uniform  standards 
of  measurement.  In  the  Middle  Ages,  not  only  different 
countries  in  Europe,  but  nearly  all  the  principal  towns,  and 
even  different  quarters  in  the  same  town,  had  their  own 
weights  and  measures.  Such  confusion  often  made  fair 
dealing  difficult,  even  when  men  wished  to  be  honest.  Even 
in  the  United  States,  in  the  early  days,  the  length  of  the  yard, 
and  the  weight  of  the  pound,  was  not  always  the  same  in 
different  sections.  In  1836,  the  secretary  of  the  treasury 
sent  to  the  governor  of  each  state  a  complete  set  of  all  weights 
and  measures,  exactly  like  that  adopted  by  the  national 
government  for  use  in  the  custom  houses.  Accurate  copies 
were  kept  in  Washington.  Our  American  weights  and 
measures  are  therefore  uniform  in  every  state. 

Note  5.  Rising  Standards  of  Honesty  in  Modern  Times. 
The  increasing  effort  of  the  government  to  make  honesty 
easy,  and  dishonesty  hard,  is  in  itself  proof  of  a  growing 
public  sentiment  against  cheating.  A  century  or  two  ago 
dishonesty  in  business  was  practically  universal.  One  could 
hardly  go  into  any  store  and  expect  to  be  fairly  treated.  Buy- 
ers were  indeed  compelled  to  "  beware,"  whenever  they  made 
a  purchase.  There  is  still  much  room  for  improvement,  as 
Mr.  Driscoll's  New  York  campaign  has  shown.  It  may  be 
true  that  there  are  some  lines  of  business  in  which  competi- 
tion is  so  keen,  and  dishonest  tricks  so  common  that  any 
single  dealer  is  compelled  to  cheat  like  the  rest,  or  be  driven 
out  of  business.  But  it  is  also  true  that  almost  all  modern 
business  is  based  upon  confidence  in  other  men.  And  v/e 
believe  that  standards  of  business  honesty  are  continually 
rising  higher.  A  few  years  ago  a  merchant  in  Toledo,  Ohio, 
was  nicknamed  "  Golden  Rule  "  Jones,  because  he  tried  to  con- 
duct his  business  according  to  the  Golden  Rule.  When  he 
died  every  one  admitted  that  he  had  indeed  lived  according 
to  that  Rule,  in  all  his  business  relations,  and  that  he  was  a 
successful  business  man  besides.  There  are  many  **  Golden 
Rule  "  merchants  in  every  city. 

In  our  colleges,  also,  there  are  many  indications  that  young 
men  and  young  women  are  condemning  all  forms  of  cheating 


18  Christian  Life  and  Conduct  Lesson 

more  severely  than  ever.  In  many  institutions  the  "  honor  " 
system  has  been  adopted  in  examinations.  The  students 
themselves  take  the  responsibility  for  suppressing  cribbing. 
In  athletics  also,  the  rules  against  professionals  are  care- 
fully enforced.  A  few  years  ago,  a  fine  athlete  refused, 
of  his  own  accord,  to  **  try  for  the  team,"  because  he  knew, 
though  at  that  time  no  one  else  did,  that  he  had  once  receivea 
board  at  a  summer  hotel  for  playing  baseball.  These  things 
are  "  straws,  which  show  which  way  the  wind  blows." 

EXPLANATION  OF  SCRIPTURE  PASSAGES. 

Lev.  19:35.     Ye  shall  do  no  unrighteousness  in  judgment: 

Ye  shall  do  nothing  unjust.  Lev.  19*36.  Ephah:  A  measure 
of  quantity,  a  little  larger  than  our  bushel.  A  just  hin:  A 
liquid  measure,  nearly  equal  to  a  gallon  and  a  half.  Deut. 
25:13.  In  thy  bag:  The  ancient  Hebrew  merchant  was  a 
peddler,  and  carried  the  weights  for  his  balances  in  a  bag. 
Diverse  weights:  In  the  vivid  Hebrew,  "  A  stone  and  a  stone." 
The  weights  were  common  stones.  If  a  peddler  were  dis- 
honest, he  had  two  stones  for  each  unit  of  weight,  the  larger 
one  to  use  when  buying,  and  the  smaller  when  selling.  Deut. 
25:14.  Diverse  measures:  In  the  Hebrew,  "  an  ephah  and  an. 
ephah."  A  large  ephah  to  buy  with  and  a  small  ephah  to 
sell  with.  Deut.  25:15.  A  perfect  .  .  .  weight:  A  full 
weight,  i.^.,  not  scant.  Prov.  11:1.  A  just  weight:  Literally, 
"  a  just  stone."  Micah  6:10.  Are  there  yet  treasures  of 
wickedness:  Better  translated,  "  Shall  I  longer  overlook 
treasures  obtained  by  wickedness?  "  The  prophet  repre- 
sents Jehovah  as  speaking  to  the  nation. 

THOUGHTS  FROM  OTHER  SOURCES. 

*'  In  vain  we  call  old  notions  fudge, 

And  square  our  morals  to  our  dealing; 
The  Ten  Commandments  will  not  budge, 
And  stealing  still  continues  stealing." 

— Lowell. 

"  In  the  elder  days  of  art 

Builders  wrought  with  greatest  care 
Each  minute  and  unseen  part, 
For  the  gods  see  everywhere." 

— Longfellow, 

'*  No  amount  of  intelligence  and  no  amount  of  energy  will  save  a 
nation  which  is  not  honest." — Theodore  Roosevelt. 


Thr^  The  Right  to  Fair  Dealings  19 

DIRECTIONS  FOR  HOME  STUDY. 

Questions  on  the  Lesson.  Before  attempting  to  answer  these 
questions,  read  carefully  all  the  Scripture  passages  referred  to  at  the 
beginning  o!  the  lesson. 

1.  What  Hebrew  measures  corresponded  to  our  bushel,  and  our 
gallon?     (Lev.  19:36a;  see  "  Explanation  of  Scripture  Passages.") 


2.  To  what  motive  did  the  law  appeal  for  obeying  Jehovah's  pro- 
hibition of  dishonest  measures?     (Lev.  19:35,  366.) 


3.  In  ancient  Israel,  did  people  "  go  to  the  store  "  to  buy  all  their 
goods,  as  we  do,  or  did  the  merchant  usually  come  to  them  ?  (Deut. 
25: 13;  see  "  Explanation.") 


4.  What  did  the  ancient  Hebrews  use  for  weights  in  their  scales? 
(Deut.  25: 13;  see  "  Explanation.") 


5.  What  two  reasons  are  given  by  the  law  in  Deuteronomy  to  show 
the  importance  of  being  honest?     (Deut.  25: 15,  16.) 


6.  What  special  name  is  applied  to  false  balances,  in  several  of 
the  Scripture  passages?  Why  is  it  so  applied?  (Deut.  25:15,  16; 
Prov.  11: 1;  20: 10,  23;  Micah  6: 10;  see  Note  3.) 


7.  ^'  Yes,  ma'am,  that  cloth  is  all  wool;  not  a  thread  of  cotton  in 
it."  Suppose  the  customer  buys  the  goods  relying  on  this  statement, 
and  it  turns  out  to  be  part  cotton, what  law  has  the  merchant  broken? 
(See  Note  4.) 


20  Christian  Life  and  Conduct  Lesson 

8.  A  young  man  is  engaged  as  a  clerk  by  a  merchant  who  is  not 
strictly  honest.  Will  the  young  man  be  more  likely  to  retain  his 
position  if  he  himself  is  honest,  or  if  he  is  dishonest?  Give  yotir 
reason. 


Note-Book  Work.  Suppose  that  all  the  schools  in  your  state  used 
professional  players  on  their  baseball  teams,  although  pretending 
to  have  amateur  teams  only.  What  advice  would  you  give  the 
manager  of  your  athletio  association  regarding  the  baseball  situation  ? 


Lesson  4.    THE  RIGHT  TO  REST.     The  Law  of  the  Sabbath. 

Scripture  Lesson,  Ex.  20:8-11;  23:12;  Deut.  5:12-15;Mk.  2:23-28. 

Note  1.  The  Need  of  a  Legal  Rest  Day.  The  conductors 
and  motor-men  of  a  certain  street-car  company  went  on  a 
strike  for  shorter  hours.  The  dispute  was  finally  referred  to 
a  board  of  arbitration.  It  was  shown  by  witnesses  before  the 
board  that  none  of  the  street-car  men  had  a  chance  to  get 
acquainted  with  their  own  children.  They  went  to  work 
before  the  children  awoke  in  the  morning.  They  came  back 
in  the  evening  after  dark.  On  Sundays  they  had  to  work  even 
longer  than  on  week-days.  Some  of  the  men  had  never  even 
seen  their  own  babies  except  by  lamplight. 

One  sometimes  hears  people  say,  "  I  hate  Sunday ;  you  can't 
have  any  fun  on  Sunday."  As  you  study  this  lesson,  boys 
and  girls,  try  to  put  yourself  in  the  place  of  those  conductors 
and  motor-men ;  and  you  will  understand  why  humanity  needs 
this  old  custom  of  **  keeping  the  Sabbath." 

Note  2.  Origin  of  the  Hebrew  Sabbath.  The  Babylonians, 
who  were  a  race  closely  akin  to  the  Hebrews,  observed  a  day 
which  they  called  sabattum.  It  occurred  at  the  beginning  of 
each  phase  of  the  moon,  that  is,  at  new  moon,  second  quarter, 
third  quarter,  and  full  moon.  As  the  moon  revolves  around 
the  earth  in  exactly  twenty-eight  days,  the  sabattum  came 
every  seventh  day.  In  the  early  history  of  Israel,  also,  the 
Sabbath  was  closely  associated  with  the  moon's  phases.  The 
prophets  frequently  class  together  »'  new  moons  "  and  "  sab- 
baths "  (Hos.  2:11;  Amos  8:5).     It  is  probable  that  both  the 


''<««'  The  Right  to  Rest  21 

Hebrews  and  the  Babylonians  inherited  from  their  common 
ancestors  this  custom  of  observing  as  sacred  the  days  when  the 
moon  changed. 

Among  the  Babylonians,  and  doubtless  among  the  ancestors 
of  the  Hebrews  also,  the  day  was  regarded  with  superstition. 
Their  ideas  in  the  matter  were  similar  to  the  ideas  of  some 
foolish  people  now,  about  Friday  in  each  week,  or  the  thir- 
teenth day  of  each  month.  They  desisted  from  work,  for 
fear  of  bad  luck.  To  propitiate  the  gods,  they  offered  special 
sacrifices. 

Note  3.     The  Law  of  the  Sabbath  in  the  Old  Testament.     The 

purpose  of  the  Sabbath  among  the  Hebrews  was  entirely 
different.  It  was  not  a  day  of  bad  luck,  when  the  deity  must 
be  propitiated,  but  a  day  of  rest  for  the  good  of  men.  The 
law  sought  especially  to  protect  the  humbler  classes  of  society, 
the  hired  servants  and  the  toiling  slaves.  Even  the  beasts 
of  burden  were  not  forgotten.  This  might  be  inferred  from 
the  familiar  passage  in  the  Decalogue:  "  Thou  shalt  not  do 
any  work,  thou,  nor  thy  son,  nor  thy  daughter,  thy  man-serv- 
ant, nor  thy  maid-servant,  nor  thy  cattle  "  (Ex.  20: 10).  The 
intent  of  the  law  is  made  clear  by  the  passage  in  Ex.  23: 12: 
"  That  thine  ox  and  thine  ass  may  have  rest,  and  the  son  of 
thine  hand-maid,  and  the  sojourner  may  be  refreshed."  In 
the  version  of  the  Ten  Commandments  found  in  Deut.  5: 6-21, 
this  object  is  made  even  more  emphatic:  "  That  thy  man- 
servant and  thy  maid-servant  may  rest  as  well  as  thou.  And 
thou  shalt  remember  that  thou  wast  a  servant  in  the  land  of 
Egypt."  In  other  words,  remember  how  it  feels  to  have  to 
work  hard,  and  do  you  therefore  give  those  who  toil  for  you 
their  day  of  rest. 

Note  4.  How  the  Sabbath  was  Observed  among  the  He- 
brews. The  ancient  Hebrews  observed  the  Sabbath  very 
differently  from  the  manner  in  which  many  strict  Christian 
people  observe  Sunday.  They  indeed  rested  from  their 
ordinary  occupations;  and  they  offered  special  sacrifices  to 
Jehovah.  But  people  did  not  feel  that  they  were  bound  to 
deprive  themselves  of  all  enjoyment,  as  some  strict  keepers 
of  the  Sabbath  do  now.  The  ancient  Hebrew  Sabbath  at  its 
best  was  very  much  like  our  Thanksgiving  Day  at  its  best,  a 
day  of  true  re-creation,  when  our  powers  are  renewed  through 


22  Christian  Life  and  Conduct  '^***«^ 

rest,  relaxation,  and  change  of  occupation,  and  through  the 
thankful  worship  of  God. 

In  the  later  centuries  of  their  history  the  Jews  in  some  meas- 
ure lost  sight  of  the  original  purpose  of  the  Sabbath  rest. 
They  made  it  a  religious  form  to  be  observed  for  its  own  sake. 
The  scribes  and  rabbis  filled  whole  books  enumerating  the 
things  which  people  were  forbidden  to  do  on  the  Sabbath. 
These  regulations  seem  to  us  extremely  petty  and  absurd. 
Thus,  to  tie  a  knot,  to  sew  two  stitches,  to  write  two  letters, 
were  all  declared  to  be  violations  of  the  Sabbath.  A  priest 
who  hurt  his  finger  on  the  Sabbath  might  bind  it  up  in  the 
temple,  but  not  elsewhere.  A  sprain  might  not  have  cold 
water  poured  on  it,  though  it  could  be  washed  in  the  usual  way. 
Thus  the  Sabbath  became  a  burden. 

Note  5.  The  Change  from  Sabbath  to  Sunday.  When 
Christianity  spread  to  the  Gentiles,  the  observance  of  the 
Sabbath,  which  was  the  seventh  day  of  the  week,  was  looked 
upon  as  a  Jewish  ordinance,  not  binding  upon  Christians. 
The  churches,  however,  felt  the  need  of  a  regular  day  for  wor- 
ship ;  and  soon  it  became  their  custom  to  hold  their  weekly 
meetings  on  the  first  day  of  the  week,  the  day  of  our  Lord's 
resurrection.  This  day  was  called  the  Lord's  Day  (Rev.  1 : 
10).  Gradually,  as  the  centuries  passed,  the  Lord's  Day 
came  to  be  set  apart  both  for  rest  and  worship,  just  like  the 
ancient  Hebrew  Sabbath  day.  It  is  therefore  proper  to  call 
the  Lord's  Day  our  Sabbath  day. 

Note  6.  Modern  Laws  Protecting  the  Right  to  Rest.  Mod- 
em laws  do  not,  as  a  rule,  try  to  regulate  a  man's  personal 
religious  practices.  But  even  apart  from  religious  considera- 
tions, the  maintaining  of  one  day  in  the  week  as  a  day  of  rest 
is  recognized  by  the  law  as  essential  to  the  health  and  well- 
being  of  the  community.  The  underlying  principle  is  the  same 
as  that  of  the  Hebrew  law,  that  the  working  man  may  have 
rest  and  **  be  refreshed."  The  laws  vary  in  different  states. 
They  are  not  so  strict  now  as  formerly.  Fifty  years  ago,  all 
ordinary  labor  and  business,  even  the  running  of  stage- 
coaches and  trains  on  Sunday  was  forbidden.  To  enforce  such 
laws  now  would  cause  much  hardship.  Steamships  cannot 
stop  their  engines  on  Sunday,  in  the  middle  of  the  ocean. 
Train-loads  of  fruit  from  California  must  be  h\irried  to  their 


F(ner  The  Right  to  Rest  23 

eastern  markets,  without  delay,  or  else  the  fruit  will  be  spoiled. 
Ice  factories  cannot  very  well  close  down  on  Sunday,  because 
it  would  require  many  hours  on  Monday  to  restore  the  neces- 
sary degree  of  cold  in  their  ice-machines.  Because  of  these 
necessities  of  our  complicated  city  life,  Sunday  laws  are  en- 
forced less  and  less  strictly. 

Many,  however,  feel  strongly  that  this  tendency  has  gone 
too  far.  Thousands  of  working  people  no  longer  have  any 
rest  day  at  all.  There  is  certainly  not  less,  but  more,  need  now 
for  such  a  day  than  ever  in  the  past.  Never  before  has  man- 
kind lived  at  such  high  tension,  or  gone  about  its  affairs  at 
such  speed  as  to-day.  The  Sunday  rest  is  most  of  all  needed 
by  the  poor — they  who  called  out  the  greatest  sympathy  and 
interest  of  the  Master.  It  is  mainly  the  prosperous  who  drive 
them  to  yield  this  great  blessing,  preserved  by  Christianity. 
The  household  servants,  those  who  render  personal  services, 
the  drivers  of  public  vehicles — such  as  these  are  the  ones  whose 
rest  day  is  taken  away  or  mutilated. 

In  some  of  our  states  laws  have  been  passed  not  only  pro- 
tecting the  worker  in  his  Sunday  rest,  but  also  limiting  to  eight 
hours,  in  many  occupations,  the  regular  working  day.  Such 
laws  are  really  Sabbath  laws,  in  the  original  meaning  of  the 
word.  For  the  Sabbath  is  not  primarily  a  matter  of  the 
calendar.  My  Sabbath  is  that  leisure  time  which  I  may  use 
for  rest  and  worship,  whatever  day  of  the  week  it  may  be. 
Most  people,  however,  can  worship  with  greater  depth  of  de- 
votion in  company  with  others,  in  a  worshiping  assembly. 
Each  catches  the  feeling  of  his  neighbor,  and  enthusiasm 
grows.  In  so  far  as  possible,  therefore,  the  law  should  pro- 
tect each  person  in  his  right  to  rest,  not  merely  on  week-days, 
but  on  Sundays,  so  that  he  may  be  able  to  worship  at  church 
with  his  fellow  men. 

Note  7.     The   Teaching   of  Jesus   regarding   the    Sabbath. 

Jesus  was  bitterly  condemned  by  the  narrow-minded  scribes 
and  Pharisees  of  His  time  as  a  desecrator  of  the  Sabbath.  In 
reply  to  His  enemies,  He  simply  called  attention  to  the  original 
purpose  of  the  law.  '*  The  sabbath  was  made  for  man,"  He 
said,  "and  not  man  for  the  sabbath"  (Mk.  2:27).  This 
means  that  we  are  not  commanded  to  sit  stiffly  in  idleness  all 
through  the  long  dreary  day,  simply  to  obey  an  arbitrary  com- 
mand of  God.     We  are  to  use  the  day  in  the  way  which  will 


24  Christian  Life  and  Conduct  Lesson 

do  ourselves  and  others  the  most  good.  Jesus  showed  by  His 
example  what  He  meant  by  that.  He  seems  to  have  con- 
formed to  the  customs  of  His  time  in  resting  from  His  ordinary 
occupations.  He  was  very  free,  however,  in  His  interpreta- 
tion of  the  meaning  of  the  word  rest.  To  Him,  it  certainly 
did  not  mean  idleness. 

From  His  boyhood  it  was  His  custom  to  attend  the  services 
of  the  synagogue  on  the  Sabbath  (Lu.  4: 16).  He  saw,  as  did 
the  ancient  Hebrews  and  the  early  Christians,  that  mankind 
needs  one  day  in  seven  as  special  opportunity  to  receive  in- 
spiration from  above.  "Man  cannot  live  by  bread  alone." 
He  must  have  times  of  leisure,  when  he  may  turn  from 
drudgery  to  higher  things,  which  will  in  turn  illumine  and  up- 
lift the  drudgery. 

EXPLANATION  OF  SCRIPTURE  PASSAGES. 
Ex.  20:10.  Cattle:  That  is,  the  animals  used  for  plowing 
and  hauling.  Stranger  that  is  within  thy  gates:  Any  foreigner, 
living  among  the  Hebrews.  Ex.  23:12.  Son  of  thy  hand- 
maid: A  poetical  expression  for  **  servant."  It  means,  lit- 
erally, a  son  of  one  of  the  women  slaves  in  the  household. 
Deut.  5:15.  By  a  mighty  hand  and  by  an  outstretched  arm: 
Referring  to  the  wonders  performed  by  the  power  of  God  at 
the  time  of  the  exodus  from  Egypt.  Mk.  2:24.  Why  do  they 
on  the  sabbath  day  that  which  is  not  lawful:  According  to  the 
rabbis,  threshing  was  one  of  the  occupations  forbidden  on  the 
Sabbath.  The  disciples  were  guilty  of  threshing.  Mk.  2:25. 
Did  ye  never  read  what  David  did:  jfesus  refers  to  the  story  of 
David's  flight  from  Saul,  related  in  1  Sam.  21 : 1-6.  In  his 
necessity  he  stopped  at  the  priestly  city  of  Nob,  and  begged 
for  bread.  The  priest  gave  him  the  show-bread,  or  holy 
bread,  which  was  dedicated  to  Jehovah,  and  as  a  rule  only 
eaten  by  the  priests.  Jesus  means  that  all  laws,  like  this  of 
the  holy  bread,  exist  only  for  humanity's  sake,  not  humanity 
for  the  sake  of  the  laws.  The  law  of  the  Sabbath  is  no  ex- 
ception. 

THOUGHTS  FROM  OTHER  SOURCES. 

•*  O  day  of  rest  and  gladness, 
O  day  of  joy  and  light, 
^  O  balm  of  care  and  sadness, 

Most  beautiful,  most  bright!" 

— Ray  Palmer, 


*'■««'  The  Right  to  Rest  26 

••  Six  days  at  drudgery's  heavy  wheel  she  stands ; 
The  seventh  sweet  morning  rests  her  weary  hands ; 
Oh,  child  of  poverty,  thou  mayest  well  be  siu-e 
He  who  ordained  the  Sabbath  loves  the  poor." — Holmes, 

**  Although  the  night  apparently  equalizes  the  circulation  well, 
vet  it  does  not  sufficiently  restore  its  balance  for  the  attainment  of  a 
long  hfe.  Hence,  one  day  in  seven,  by  the  bounty  of  Providence,  is 
thrown  in  as  a  day  of  compensation  to  perfect  by  its  repose  the  animal 
system.  You  may  easily  determine  this  question  by  trying  it  on  beasts 
of  burden.  Take  that  fine  animal,  the  horse,  and  work  him  to  the  full 
extent  of  his  powers  every  day  of  the  week,  or  give  him  rest  one  day  in 
seven,  and  you  will  soon  perceive,  by  the  superior  vigor  with  which  he 
performs  his  functions  on  the  other  six  days,  that  this  rest  is  necessary 
to  his  well-being." — Dr.  Farre. 

**  I  hold  that  a  world  without  a  Sabbath  would  be  like  a  man  with- 
out a  smile,  like  a  summer  without  flowers,  and  like  a  homestead  with- 
out a  garden.  It  is  the  joyous  day  of  the  whole  week." — H.  W, 
Beecher. 

DIRECTIONS  FOR  HOME  STUDY. 

Questions  on  the  Lesson.  Before  attempting  to  answer  these  ques- 
tions, read  carefully  all  the  Scripture  passages  referred  to  at  the  be- 
ginning of  the  lesson. 

1.  What  reason  is  given  in  the  Old  Testament  for  the  institution  of 
the  Sabbath?     (Ex.  23: 12 ;  Deut.  5: 14,  15.) 


2.  How  did  it  come  to  pass  that  the  Sabbath  occurred  one  day  in 
seven,  rather  than  one  day  in  six,  or  in  ten  ?     (Note  2.) 


3.  What  did  the  disciples  of  Jesus  do  on  the  Sabbath  day  which 
aroused  the  condemnation  of  the  Pharisees  ?     (Mk.  2 :  23,  24.) 


4.  Why  did  the  Pharisees  say  that  this  particular  act  \,'as  unlawful? 
(See  "  Explanation  of  Scripture  Passages  " ;  comp.  Lu.  6: 1.) 


5.  To  what  example  in  the  Old  Testament  did  Jesus  refer,  in  defense 
of  His  disciples? 


26  Christian  Life  and  Conduct  Lesson 

6.   How  did  the  example  of  David  justify  the  action  of  the  disciples  ? 
(See  "  Explanation.") 


7.  What  principle  did  Jesus  lay  down  to  guide  us  in  our  observance 
of  the  Sabbath  ? 


8.  Does  this  principle  mean  that  any  particular  man  can  do  what- 
ever pleases  him?     Who  are  included  by  the  word  "  man  " ? 


0.  In  the  light  of  this  principle,  is  it  ever  right 
(a)   To  play  ball  on  Sunday  ? 
{b)  To  travel  on  the  train  on  Sunday  ? 
{c)   To  study  on  Sunday? 


Note-book  Work.     Write  a  short  incident  or  story  showing  the  valuf 
of  a  day  of  rest. 


Fi-^  The  Right  to  Truth  27 

Lesson  5.     THE  RIGHT  TO  TRUTH.     Why  Enforced 
by  Law. 

Scripture  Lesson,  Ex.  20:16;  Lev.  19:116,  12;  Deut.  19:16-21; 
Prov.  26:18,  19;  Mt.  5:33-37. 

Note  1.  The  Seriousness  of  the  Vice  of  Lying.  Humorous 
writers  in  recent  years  have  frequently  referred  to  persons 
more  or  less  conspicuous  in  public  life  as  members  of,  or 
candidates  for,  the  "Ananias  Club."  This  implies  that 
those  persons,  justly  or  unjustly,  have  been  charged  with 
falsehood  as  gross  and  deliberate  as  that  which,  according 
to  the  New  Testament  story,  brought  down  on  Ananias  the 
immediate  judgment  of  God  (Acts  5:1-6).  This  story  illus- 
trates not  only  the  right  which  every  man  has  to  expect 
truth  from  every  other  man,  but  the  baseness  and  peril  of 
deception.  The  fact  that  every  liar  is  not  smitten  with  im- 
mediate death  as  a  punishment  for  falsehood  does  not  prove 
that  lying  is  the  comparatively  innocent  and  harmless  habit 
that  some  people  seem  to  consider  it. 

Note  2.  Old  Testament  Laws  against  Perjury  and  False 
Swearing.  The  ninth  comjiiandm.ent  in  the  Decalogue  (Ex. 
20:16)  does  not  refer  to  lying  in  general,  but  to  perjury  in 
a  court  of  law.  To  give  false  testimony  at  a  trial,  in 
which  a  man's  reputation  or  life  is  at  stake,  is  of  course  a 
particularly  heinous  form  of  lying.  It  is,  moreover,  readily 
dealt  with  by  courts  of  law.  The  passage  in  Deut.  19:16-21 
treats  of  this  crime  more  fully,  defining  the  punishment  to  be 
inflicted. 

In  Lev.  19:11  we  have  a  law  which  plainly  refers  to  lies 
uttered  for  the  sake  of  dishonest  advantage  in  trade.  '*  Nei- 
ther shall  ye  deal  falsely,  nor  He  one  to  another."  The  next 
verse  (19:12)  prohibits  all  false  swearing,  that  is,  all  lies 
spoken  under  oath. 

Note  3.  Modem  Laws  against  False  Swearing,  Perjury, 
Libel  and  Slander.  We  in  modem  times  have  laws  against 
false  swearing.  A  man,  for  example,  goes  before  an  officer 
called  a  notary,  and  takes  his  oath  that  a  signature  on  a  cer- 
tain business  paper  is  genuine.  If  the  statement  is  false, 
and  the  man  who  made  the  statement  knew  that  it  was  false, 
he  may  be  pimished  for  false  swearing. 


28  Christian  Life  and  Conduct 


Lesson 


Perjury  is  any  intentionally  false  testimony,  on  some 
essential  matter,  in  a  court  of  law.  The  law  thus  punishes 
not  merely  false  accusations  against  the  man  on  trial,  but 
also  other  lying  statements  material  to  the  case  in  court. 
All  such  statements,  if  unpunished,  weaken  public  confidence 
in  our  courts.  Men  are  thus  tempted  to  take  the  law  into 
their  own  hands,  rather  than  trust  to  juries  and  judges.  Mob 
violence  is  fostered,  and  barbarism  takes  the  place  of  civiliza- 
tion. Perjury  has  been  called  by  a  modern  jurist,  "  the 
most  infamous  and  detestable  of  crimes. "  It  may  be  punished 
by  a  term  of  imprisonment. 

Other  forms  of  lying  punishable  by  modern  laws  are  false 
pretenses  in  business  relations  (see  Lesson  3),  and  also  false 
libel  and  slander.  A  libel  is  "  a  malicious  or  injurious  pub- 
lication, expressed  in  printing  or  writing,  or  by  signs  or  pic- 
tures, tending  either  to  injure  the  memory  of  one  dead  or 
the  reputation  of  one  alive,  and  to  expose  him  to  public 
hatred,  contempt,  or  ridicule."  The  statements  pubhshed 
need  not  be  false,  but  if  false,  are  always  criminal.  A  slander 
is  a  spoken  Hbel.  Since  the  spoken  word  reaches  so  few 
people,  compared  with  the  written  or  printed  statement, 
a  slander  is  seldom  punished  by  the  state  as  a  crime.  An 
individual,  however,  may  sue  the  man  who  has  slandered 
him  for  damages  in  money,  and  if  his  contention  is  upheld, 
the  slanderer  must  pay  the  damages  awarded  by  the  court. 

Rote  4.  The  Teachings  of  Proverbs  and  of  Jesus  regard- 
ing Truthfulness.  When  we  turn  to  the  great  moral  teach- 
ers of  humanity,  we  find  them  unanimous  in  proclaiming 
the  baseness  of  deceit,  and  the  fundamental  necessity  for 
truth.  Could  anything  be  more  emphatic  than  the  sim- 
ile of  the  wise  man,  given  in  Prov.  26:18?  A  man  had 
better  play  with  fire,  or  the  germs  of  pestilence,  than  trifle 
with  truth,  even  in  sport.  The  teaching  of  Jesus  is  no  less 
impressive.  He  says,  "Swear  not  at  all."  This  was  not 
merely  in  order  to  avoid  the  frivolous  and  profane  use  of 
God's  name,  although  this  idea  also  seems  to  have  been  in 
Jesus'  mind,  but  chiefly  to  promote  a  higher  standard  of 
truthfulness.  The  ancient  law  says,  Keep  your  promises 
made  under  oath.  Jesus  said.  Keep  all  your  promises.  And 
that  you  may  not  be  blinded  to  the  sacredness  of  all  promises, 
do  not  use  oaths.     Let  your  "  word  be  as  good  as  your  bond. " 


nve  The  Right  to  Truth  29 

Note  5.  The  Importance  of  Truthfulness.  This  concep- 
tion of  the  importance  of  truthfulness  finds  an  echo  in  the 
conscience  of  all  right-minded  men.  To  call  a  man  a  Har 
is  to  use  the  most  insulting  of  epithets.  What  is  the  explana- 
tion of  this  instinctive  horror  of  lying?  Two  reasons  may 
be  given.  In  the  first  place,  a  lie  breaks  down  men's  con- 
fidence in  each  other.  When  one  man  deceives  another,  the 
man  who  has  been  wronged  has  not  only  lost  faith  in  the  man 
who  lied  to  him,  but  has  his  faith  in  all  men  disturbed  to 
some  degree.  The  liar  has  thus  struck  a  blow  at  the  con- 
fidence that  holds  society  together.  Imagine  yourself  in  a 
world  in  which  you  could  believe  absolutely  no  one.  Busi- 
ness would  be  impossible,  for  there  could  be  no  credit.  Friend- 
ship would  be  impossible,  for  no  one  could  believe  any  other 
one's  professions  of  friendship.  No  social  relationships  what- 
ever would  be  possible.  Can  you  imagine  a  worse  state  of 
things?  And  the  liar  is  helping  to  create  just  that  kind  of 
world. 

In  the  second  place,  sincerity  is  essential  to  personal  moral 
character.  To  trifle  with  truth  is  to  weaken  your  power  to 
recognize  truth,  to  impair  your  moral  eyesight.  And  the 
man  who  cannot  see  straight  morally  is  in  danger  of  becoming 
speedily  not  only  a  liar,  but  every  other  kind  of  scoundrel 
as  well.  George  Eliot  has  portrayed  just  that  type  of  charac- 
ter in  her  novel  Romola.  In  Tito's  case,  selfishness  and  love 
of  an  easy,  pleasant  time  led  to  untruthfulness,  and  that 
weakness  resulted  in  a  complete  breaking  down  of  the  moral 
nature.  In  short,  lying  "  is  not  merely  the  principal  kind, 
but  the  soul  of  all  wickedness  ";  and  the  obligation  to  truth- 
fulness is  more  fundamental  than  any  other  duty. 

In  view  of  this  fact,  some  have  maintained  that  deception 
is  never,  under  any  circumstances,  justifiable.  On  the  other 
hand,  can  we  say  that  it  is  wrong  to  deceive  a  burglar,  in 
regard  to  valuables  in  the  house;  or  that  in  war  a  general 
should  not  deceive  the  enemy,  or  that  the  pitcher  in  a  base- 
ball game  should  not  deceive  the  batter  as  to  the  course  of 
the  ball?  Surely  deception  in  these  instances  is  wholly 
justifiable.  And  yet  we  may  still  insist  that  the  obligation 
to  be  loyal  to  truth  is  unique,  and  permits  of  no  exceptions. 
For  deception  in  cases  like  these,  where  deception  is  invari- 
ably expected,  does  not  in  the  slightest  degree  tend  to  break 
down  any  man's  faith  in  his  fellow  men.    Where,  however, 


30  Christian  Life  and  Conduct  ^^«^ 

the  truth  is  expected  of  us,  or  may  by  any  possibility  be  ex 
pected  of  us,  the  obligation  to  speak  and  act  the  truth  is 
absolute.     It  makes  no  difference  that  we  think  we  can  do 
good  by  deception;  mere  expediency  can  never  make  of  any 
lie  a  "  white  lie." 

Apply  this  principle  to  the  following  questions:  Is  it 
right  to  say,  "  I'm  so  delighted  to  see  you,"  when  your 
feelings  are  just  the  reverse?  Is  it  right  to  send  word  to 
a  caller  whom  you  do  not  care  to  see  that  you  are  not  at 
home?  Is  it  right  to  treat  cordially  a  person  whom  you 
greatly  dislike?  In  a  letter  to  a  person  you  care  nothing 
about,  is  it  right  to  begin  it,  "  Dear  Sir,"  or  "  Dear  Madam  "  ? 
Is  it  right  to  say,  "  You  are  looking  real  well  to-day,"  merely 
to  encourage  an  invalid  ?  Where  does  courtesy  end  and  lying 
begin? 

EXPLANATION  OF  SCRIPTURE  PASSAGES. 

Deut.  19:17.  Shall  stand  before  Jehovah,  etc. :  In  the  later 
history  of  Israel  the  priests  acted  as  judges.  Trials  were 
held  in  the  temple,  before  the  altar.  This  is  the  meaning 
of  the  words  "  before  Jehovah."  Dent.  19:18.  Diligent 
inquisition:  Thorough  investigation.  Deut.  19:20.  Those 
that  remain:  The  rest  of  the  people,  aside  from  the  guilty 
perjurer.  Deut.  19:21.  Eye  for  eye:  Suppose  the  perjurer 
has  accused  a  man  of  putting  out  another  man's  eye.  Ac- 
cording to  Hebrew  law,  the  man  guilty  of  such  an  assault 
would  have  his  own  eye  put  out.  Mt.  5:36.  Neither  shalt 
thou  swear  by  thy  head:  In  all  these  oaths,  Jesus  means  you 
are  really  swearing  by  the  omnipresent  and  all-powerful  God 
just  as  truly  as  though  you  spoke  His  name.  Mt.  5:37.  But 
let  your  speech  be,  Yea,  yea:  In  the  epistle  of  James,  which  is 
full  of  quotations  from  the  Sermon  on  the  Mount,  we  find 
this  saying  in  a  different  form:  "  Let  your  yea  be  yea,  and 
your  nay,  nay"  (Jas  5:12).  That  is,  let  your  simple  yes, 
ungarnished  by  oaths,  always  mean  just  what  it  says,  and 
your  no,  likewise. 

THOUGHTS  FROM  OTHER  SOURCES. 

"  This  above  all,  to  thine  own  self  be  true, 
And  it  doth  follow,  as  the  night  the  day, 
Thou  canst  not  then  be  false  to  any  man." 

— Shakespeare, 

**  I  will  not  stain  speech  with  a  lie." — Pindar, 


Fi^  The  Right  to  Truth  31 

"  The  genuine  lie  is  hated  by  all  gods  and  men." — Plato. 

"  What  a  flaw  is  in  steel,  that  a  falsehood  is  to  the  character." 

—  Newman  Smyth. 

DIRECTIONS  FOR  HOME  STUDY. 

Questions  on  the  Lesson.  Before  attempting  to  answer  these 
questions,  read  carefully  all  the  Scripture  passages  referred  to  at  the 
beginning  of  the  lesson. 

1.  To  what  particular  type  of  falsehood  does  the  ninth  command- 
ment refer?    (Ex.  20: 16.) 


2.  What  punishment  was  inflicted  by  the  Hebrews  upon  a  man 
guilty  of  this  type  of  falsehood?     (Deut.  19: 19-21.) 


3.  What  other  forms  of  lying  were  prohibited  by   Hebrew  lawC 
(Lev.  19:11,  12.) 


4.  What  was  said  by  one  of  the  Hebrew  wise  men  about  the  danger 
of  trifling  with  truth?     (Prov.  26: 18,  19.) 


5.  How  does  Jesus  make  more  strict  and  comprehensive  the  law's 
demand  for  truth?     (Mt.  5:33-37.) 


6.  What   forms  of   falsehood  are  punishable  under  modern  law? 
(Note  3.) 


7.  Explain  the  harmfulness  of  perjury. 


32  Christian  Life  ami  Conduct  Lesson 

8.  Why  is  lying  so  universally  despised  ?     (Note  5.) 


9.  Do  you  consider  that  deceit  is  ever  justifiable?     If  so,  under 
what  circumstances,  for  example? 


10.  Under  what  circumstances  is  deceit  not  justifiable? 


Note-book  Work.  Write  the  story  of  some  famous  deception,  and 
its  evil  consequences;  for  examf^e,  either  of  the  following:  Absalom's 
rebellion  (2  Sam.  ch.  15)  ;  Arnola  J  treachery.  Or  take  some  impor- 
tant incident  in  fiction,  as  Tito's  broken  promise  to  his  foster  father, 
and  its  consequences,  in  George  Eliot's  Romola;  lago's  decej^tion  of 
Othello  and  Desdemona,  in  vShakespeare's  great  tragedy. 

Memory  Work.     The  Ten  Commandments  (Ex.  20:1-17). 


Lesson  6.     REVERENCE  IN  SPEECH  AND  CONDUCT. 
Laws  against  Blasphemy. 

Scripture  Lesson,  Ex.  20:7;  22:28;  Lev.  19:12,  32;  Mt.  5:33-37; 
^  8:9;  21:12,  13. 

Note  1.  What  is  Reverence?  A  soldier  had  come  home 
from  service  in  the  Philippine  Islands.  He  had  spent  two 
years  with  the  troops,  and  several  months  in  the  hospital. 
On  this  particular  afternoon  he  was  one  of  several  thousand 
persons  gathered  in  a  great  city  park  to  listen  to  the  band 
concert,  and  when,  as  a  final  number,  the  musicians  played 
**  The  Star  Spangled  Banner,"  he  at  once  rose  to  his  feet  and 
stood  at  attention;  then  he  removed  his  hat  and  held  it  over 
his  heart,  and  so  remained  till  the  last  strains  of  the  national 
anthem  died  away.  That  was  reverence  for  flag  and  country. 
Reverence  towards  God  is  like  this  It  seeks  at  all  times 
to  show  honor  to  God's  name,  the  Bible,  the  church,  and  tc 
all  sacred  things  and  places.     Our  lesson  will  show  why 


Six  Reverence  in  Speech  and  Conduct  3S 

reverence  is  so  important  in  speech  and  conduct,  and  in  the 
heart  as  well 

Note  2.     Old  Testament  Laws  against  Irreverence.    Two 

of  the  Hebrew  laws  associate  irreverence  toward  God  with 
irreverence  toward  certain  human  beings  (Ex.  22:28;  Lev. 
19:32).  These  laws  help  us  to  understand  the  harmfulness 
to  the  community  of  all  irreverence.  All  genuine  loyalty 
to  one's  father  and  mother  and  friends,  or  to  one's  church 
and  country,  grows  out  of  reverence  for  God.  On  the  other 
hand,  to  the  man  who  has  no  reverence  for  God,  nothing  is 
sacred,  not  even  his  country.  He  will  therefore  be  a  bad 
citizen.  This  is  the  reason  that  the  Hebrew  laws  forbade 
not  merely  the  profanation  of  God's  name  through  false 
oaths  (Lev.  19:12),  but  also  all  forms  of  irreverent  speech 
(Ex.  20:7). 

Note  3.  Modem  Laws  against  Profanity  and  Irreverent 
Conduct.  Our  modern  laws,  also,  recognize  that  the  strength 
of  a  nation  depends  very  largely  on  the  spirit  of  reverence. 
When  the  Romans  began  to  make  fun  of  the  gods  they  had 
once  reverenced,  and  actors  in  the  theatres  held  up  religion 
for  the  sport  and  laughter  of  the  crowds,  the  people  began 
to  lose  respect  for  the  government  also.  This  decay  of  the 
feeling  of  reverence  was  one  of  the  chief  causes  of  the  fall  of 
Rome.  To-day,  practically  all  our  states  have  laws  forbid- 
ding the  profane  or  blasphemous  use  of  the  name  of  God, 
or  of  Jesus  Christ.  Unfortunately,  these  laws  are  not  always 
strictly  enforced.  Yet  only  recently,  in  a  New  Jersey  town, 
a  man  was  arrested  for  blasphemy  in  the  public  square,  and 
was  convicted  and  punished.  We  also  have  certain  laws 
prohibiting  irreverent  conduct.  Any  disturbance  of  religious 
gatherings,  such  as  church  services,  prayer  meetings,  Sunday 
schools  and  camp  meetings,  is  forbidden  by  the  law= 

Note  4.  The  Teaching  and  Example  of  Jesus.  Jesus  dis- 
approved of  all  oaths  (Mt.  5:33-37)  because  they  tend  to 
weaken  one's  respect  for  truth  (Note  4,  Lesson  5).  But  this 
was  not  the  only  reason  in  the  mind  of  Jesus.  When  a  man 
thus  implies  that  some  promises  are  not  binding,  that  there- 
fore truth  is  not  always  sacred,  he  has  entered  upon  a  path 
which  leads  tcJ  all  manner  of  irreverence.  Sooner  or  later 
even  the  name  of  God  will  lose  its  sacredness.     He  will  utter 


34  Christian  Life  and  Conduct 


Lesson 


solemn  oaths  with  no  realization  of  their  meaning.  This 
was  shown  by  the  habits  of  the  JeAvs  themselves,  as  pointed 
out  by  Jesus.  While  for  superstitious  reasons  they  avoided 
the  use  of  the  name  Jehovah,  even  in  -worship,  yet  they  em- 
ployed expressions  like  **  heaven,'*  or  **  the  temple,'*  in  oaths, 
and  did  so  carelessly  and  profanely. 

The  reverent  attitude  of  Jesus'  whole  life  is  indicated  by 
the  opening  sentence  of  the  Lord's  Prayer.  How  bitterly 
He  hated  the  misuse  of  sacred  places  is  shown  by  His  whip- 
ping the  traders  out  of  the  temple  court.  We  have  already 
seen  (Lesson  1)  His  profound  sense  of  the  sacredness  of 
human  life.  It  was  from  Jesus  that  Paul  caught  the  inspir- 
ing thought  that  every  Christian  is  a  temple  of  the  Holy 
Spirit.  All  human  beings,  even  little  babies,  are  sacred, 
according  to  the  Christian  teaching,  since  every  one  may 
become  a  temple  of  God.  Wherever  Christianity  has  gone, 
the  spirit  of  reverence  has  been  deepened.  This  is  notably 
true  of  the  world's  attitude  toward  womanhood.  In  heathen 
lands,  ancient  and  modern,  woman  has  been  for  the  most 
part  despised.  The  Christian  attitude  is  one  of  reverence. 
For  woman's  chief  mission  is  motherhood ;  hers  is  the  holiest 
of  all  missions;  for  to  be  a  mother  is  to  nurture  and  cherish 
human  life.  Hence  true  Christians  reverence  all  woman- 
hood. 

Note  5.  Why  Profanity  should  not  be  Used.  Those  who 
indulge  in  coarse  and  profane  expressions  frequently  do  so 
without  intending  to  be  irreverent.  One  hears  many  such 
expressions  on  the  street  and  elsewhere,  and  it  is  easy  to  fall 
thoughtlessly  into  loose  habits  of  speech.  None  of  these 
expressions,  however,  add  real  force,  much  less  beauty,  to 
one's  language.  If  only  for  the  sake  of  preserving  one's 
ability  to  use  clear,  expressive  English,  it  is  better  to  follow 
the  advice  of  Jesus,  and  "let  your  speech  be.  Yea,  yea." 
One  should  be  very  cautious  even  in  the  use  of  slang.  It 
may  be  that  some  slang  words  are  expressive  and  picturesque. 
But  there  is  danger  lest  one  fall  into  the  habit  of  overworking 
these  words,  using  them  indiscriminately,  without  trying 
to  express  one's  real  meaning.  The  greater  part  of  current 
slang  is  silly  and  vulgar. 

There  are  other  and  even  more  weighty  reasons  for  avoid- 
ing  all   expressions   which   even   verge   toward   profanit)^ 


Six  Reverence  in  Speech  and  Conduct  35 

Many  persons  love  God  and  Jesus  Christ  so  much  that  to 
hear  these  names  used  irreverently  brings  them  sharp  pain. 
They  feel  as  any  loyal  son  would  feel  if  he  heard  some  one 
speak  coarsely  of  his  father  or  mother.  Furthermore,  just 
as  a  man  who  lives  in  a  dirty  house  ceases  to  care  for  beautiful 
surroundings;  as  a  man  who  listens  only  to  rag-time  loses 
his  taste  for  good  music;  so  a  man  whose  speech  is  irreverent 
sooner  or  later  loses  his  finer  regard  for  things  true  and  pure 
and  noble. 

EXPLANATION  OF  SCRIPTURE  PASSAGES. 
Ex.  20:7.  In  vain:  This  means  falsely,  and  also  carelessly, 
profanely.  It  refers  to  falsehood  under  oath,  and  to  all 
irreverence  in  the  use  of  God's  name.  Lev.  19:12.  Ye  shall 
not  swear  by  my  name  falsely:  To  invoke  God's  name  to  make 
others  believe  a  falsehood,  is,  as  it  were,  an  insult  to  God. 
19:32.  Thou  shalt  fear  thy  God:  Fear,  in  the  sense  of  reverent 
awe.  Mt.  21:12.  The  tables  of  the  money-changers:  Only 
Hebrew  coins  were  accepted  as  offerings  in  the  temple. 
Many  pilgrims  came  to  the  annual  feasts  from  Gentile  lands, 
bringing  with  them  the  money  used  where  they  lived.  It 
was  necessary  to  exchange  these  foreign  coins  for  money 
which  could  be  presented  to  the  priests,  hence  the  presence 
of  these  money-changers  in  the  outermost  temple  court. 
Mt.  21:13.  Ye  make  it  a  den  of  robbers:  These  traders  and 
money-changers  charged  exorbitant  prices.  It  was  bad 
enough  to  turn  the  house  of  God  into  a  market  place,  but 
how  much  worse  to  make  it  a  "  den  of  robbers  "  ! 

THOUGHTS  FROM  OTHER  SOURCES. 

**  The  first  condition  of  human  goodness  is  something  to  love;  the 
second,  something  to  reverence." — George  Eliot. 

"  In  reverence  is  the  chief  joy  and  power  of  life." — Ruskin. 

**  Let  knowledge  grow  from  more  to  more, 
But  more  of  reverence  in  us  dwell." — Tennyson-, 

"  Maintain  your  rank,  vulgarity  despise. 

To  swear  is  neither  brave,  polite,  nor  wise." — Cowper. 

DIRECTIONS  FOR  HOME  STUDY. 

Questions  on  the  Lesson.  Before  attempting  to  answer  these 
questions,  read  carefully  all  the  Scripture  passages  referred  to  at  the 
beginning  of  the  lesson, 


36  Chrtstian  Life  and  Conduct  Lesson 

1.  What  do  the  third,  fourth,  and  fifth  commandments  teach  with 
respect  to  reverence  ?     (Ex.  20:7-12.) 


2.  What  is  the  meaning  of  the  expression  "  in  vain,"  in  the  third 
commandment?     (See  "  Explanation  of  Scripture  Passages.") 


3.  Irreverence  toward  what  classes  of  human  beings  is  associated 
in  the  Hebrew  law  with  irreverence  toward  God?  (Ex.  22:28;  Lev. 
19:32.) 


4.  How  do  these  two  laws  explain  in  part  the  harmfulness  of  pro- 
fanity to  the  community?     (See  Note  2.) 


5.  In  which  gospels  do  we  find  the  story  of  Christ  cleansing  the 
temple  ? 


6,  According  to  the  account  m  Matthew,  what  kinds  of  business 
were  being  carried  on  in  the  temple?     (Mt.  21:12.) 


7.  What   accusation   did   Jesus   make   against   these   traders,   and 
what  did  He  mean  by  it?     (Mt,  21: 13;  see  '*  Explanation.") 


8.  Give  three  reasons  why  we  should  not  use  profanity: 
(I) 


*«^  The  Rights  of  Parents  37 

Note-book  Work.  After  placing  at  the  top  of  the  page  the  lesson 
number  and  title,  write  below  it  this  title:  "  How  Jesus  Showed 
Reverence  for  the  House  of  God."  Then  paste  in  the  picture,  "  Cast- 
ing out  the  Money  Changers  "  (Brown,  No.  452),  and  under  it  copy 
Mk.  11:15-17. 

Memo/y  Work.  The  Ten  Commandments  (Ex.  20:1-17). 


Lesson  7.     THE  RIGHTS  OF  PARENTS.    The  Duty  of 
Obedience  and  Respect. 

Scripture  Lesson,  Ex.  20:12;  21:15,  17;  Deut.  21:18-21;  Prov. 
20:20;  30:17;  Lu.  2:41-51;  Mk.  7:9-13. 

Note  1.  Obeying  the  Coach.  The  baseball  coach  of  a 
college  team  is  an  old  player  of  the  game,,  and  he  knows. 
He  watches  every  play  Y/ith  the  closest  interest.  Every 
good  play  gets  its  word  of  praise,  and  every  bad  play  its 
sharp  comment.  The  interesting  thing  is  that,  whatever 
he  may  say,  no  one  takes  offense.  There  at  the  first  base 
is  a  senior,  the  president  of  his  class,  but  the  coach  cries  out, 
'*  Wake  up  there — that's  no  sofa !  "  and  the  senior  looks 
sheepish,  grins  a  little,  and  wakes  up.  The  reason  he  does 
not  get  angry  is  because  he  knows  that  the  coach  is  doing 
his  best  to  help  the  team  to  win.  A  man  who  refuses  to 
follow  his  orders  or  who  resents  his  reproofs  cannot  hold  his 
place  on  the  team. 

Fathers  and  mothers  are  the  trained  players  in  the  contest 
of  life.  It  is  important  to  follow  their  guidance  with  the  ut- 
most loyalty  and  respect. 

Note   2.     The  Hebrew  Law  as   to   Parents   and  Children. 

Obedience  to  parents  is  one  of  the  oldest  demands  of  society. 
According  to  the  Babylonian  law,  a  son  who  struck  his 
father  was  condemned  to  have  his  hands  cut  off.  The  Old 
Testament  also  prescribes  severe  penalties  upon  disobedient 
children.  These  ancient  laws  seem  to  us  severe.  It  must 
be  remembered,  however,  that  when  these  lavv^s  came  into 
being,  a  Hebrew  f amity,  or  "  house,"  might  include  a  man's 
mother,  his  wives  and  children,  his  sons'  wives  and  their 
children,  as  well  as  his  servants  and  their  children.  For  the 
sake  of  protection,  even  distant  relatives  might  attach  them- 
selves to  a  ''  great  house."     Thus  Abraham  could  muster 


38  Christian  Life  and  Conduct  ^«*^ 

three  hundred  and  eighteen  fighting  men,  **  bom  in  his 
house,"  for  the  defense  of  his  nephew  Lot.  The  only  govern- 
ment in  the  land  was  the  authority  of  these  **  patriarchs," 
the  father  and  grandfather,  in  each  family.  The  welfare 
and  even  the  existence  of  any  family,  in  that  cruel  age,  de- 
pended upon  maintaining  this  authority.  Disobedience  was 
treason.  Moreover,  polygamy  constantly  tended  to  breed 
quarrels  in  the  household,  and  the  groups  of  children  by 
different  mothers  were  often  hostile  one  to  another,  and  the 
mothers  took  sides.  In  order  to  preserve  order,  it  was 
necessary  that  the  authority  of  the  father  should  be  backed 
up  by  severe  penalties.  That  there  was,  however,  a  happier 
side  of  Hebrew  family  life,  is  suggested  by  such  passages 
as,  "  Like  as  a  father  pitieth  his  children,  so  Jehovah  pitieth 
them  that  fear  him"  (Ps.  103:13),  and,  "As  one  whom  his 
mother  comforteth,  so  will  I  comfort  you"  (Is.  66:13). 
Parents  have  always  loved  their  children.  The  very  harsh- 
ness of  ancient  laws  shows  that  parents  could  ordinarily  be 
trusted  not  to  abuse  unlimited  power  over  their  children. 
And  we  may  be  sure  that  there  were  many  Hebrew  boys 
Hke  Joseph  and  girls  like  Ruth  the  Moabitess,  whose  fidelity 
and  tenderness  to  their  parents  still  touch  our  hearts. 

Note  3.     Duties  of  Children  to  Parents  under  Modern  Law. 

Our  laws  like  the  Hebrew  laws  require  children  to  obey 
their  parents  at  least  until  they  are  of  age.  Other  duties 
moreover  are  clearly  implied  in  the  rights  and  responsibilities 
of  the  parent.  For  example,  modern  law  declares  that  the 
parent  has  a  right  to  the  child's  services  and  earnings,  until 
he  becomes  of  legal  age.  It  also  provides  that  aged  parents 
when  sick  or  in  need  shall  be  cared  for  by  the  adult  children. 
This  implies  the  child's  lifelong  duty  to  be  a  loyal,  helpful 
member  of  the  family,  in  so  far  as  his  assistance  may  be 
needed. 

In  some  states  the  law  makes  the  parent  responsible  for 
wrongs  and  damages  done  by  his  child.  Just  as  the  coach 
is  held  responsible  for  a  winning  team,  so  parents  are  ex- 
pected to  train  up  their  children  to  be  law-abiding  citizens. 
It  would  be  very  unfair  for  the  child  not  to  follow  the  coun- 
sels and  obey  the  commands  of  his  father  and  mother. 

Note  4.  The  Example  and  Teaching  of  Jesus.  Jesus  as 
a  twelve-year-old  lad  was  obedient  to  His  parents  (Lu.  2:51). 


Seven 


The  Rights  of  Parents  49 


When  the  gospels  take  up  again  the  thread  of  His  life  story. 
He  is  a  young  man  of  thirty,  no  longer  subject  to  parental 
authority.  Indeed,  the  gospels  indicate  that  His  mother 
at  this  time  did  not  wholly  understand  Him  (Mk.  3:31-35, 
Jo.  2:3,  4).  But  the  scorn  which  Jesus  felt  toward  an  un- 
grateful son  is  revealed  in  His  words  to  the  scribes  and  Phari  - 
sees  (Mk.  7:8-13).  He  sternly  condemned  them  becaus«e 
they  declared  it  right  for  a  man  in  some  cases  to  give  his 
money  to  the  temple,  rather  than  use  it  for  the  support  of 
his  needy  parents.  Through  their  tradition,  He  said,  they 
had  set  aside  the  commandment,  "  Honor  thy  father  and 
thy  mother."  In  the  life  of  Jesus  we  see  that  transition 
from  childlike  obedience  to  intelligent  loyalty,  which  should 
characterize  an  ideal  son.  A  little  child  is  too  young  to 
understand  the  reason  for  his  parents'  commands.  He  is 
expected  to  obey  without  question.  Most  parents,  however, 
are  glad  to  grant  their  children  more  freedom,  as  soon  as 
they  show  sufficient  intelligence  and  self-control  to  use*  it 
properly.  One  of  the  happiest  experiences  in  life,  for  parents 
as  well  as  for  children,  is  when  the  child  takes  his  place  beside 
the  parent  as  a  partner  and  comrade,  and  even  a  chum, 
eagerly  sharing:  the  burdens  as  well  as  the  joys  of  the  family 
life. 

EXPLANATION  OF  SCRIPTURE  PASSAGES. 
Ex.  20:12.  Honor  thy  father  and  thy  mother:  Obey  them, 
and  show  them  proper  courtesy  and  respect.  Deut.  21:18, 
Chasten  him:  Punish  him.  Deut.  21:19.  The  gate  cf  his 
place:  The  gate  of  the  village  where  he  lives.  All  public 
business  was  transacted  at  the  "  city  gate."  Deut.  21:20. 
A  glutton:  Or,  a  spendthrift,  a  riotous  liver.  Prov.  20:20. 
His  lamp  shall  be  put  out:  **  *  Lamp  '  is  a  m.etaphor  applied 
to  life  and  happiness,  to  prosperity  and  reputation.  The 
disobedient  child  shall  suffer  in  body  and  soul,  in  character 
and  fortune."  Prov.  30:17.  Ravens  .  .  .  young  eagles:  This 
passage  indicates  that  in  those  stern  old  times  the  dead 
body  of  the  disobedient  son  was  cast  out  into  the  wilderness, 
where  birds  of  prey  would  find  it.  Lu.  2:43.  When  they 
had  fulfilled  the  days:  When  the  passover  ceremonies  v/ere 
completed.  Jesus  tarried  behind  in  Jerusalem:  Doubtless 
He  became  separated  from  His  own  people  in  the  narrow, 
winding,  crowded  streets  of  Jerusalem,  and  went  to  the  temple, 
thinking  that  they  would  most  naturally  com.e  there  to  look 


40  Christian  Life  and  Conduct  Lesson 

for  Him.  Mk.  7:9.  Full  well:  Literally,  "  Beautifully."  It 
might  be  translated,  "  It  is  a  fine  thing  you  do;  you  set  aside 
the  commandment,"  etc.  The  scribes  had  objected  because 
Jesus  and  His  disciples  did  not  perform  the  ceremonial  wash- 
ings required  by  their  traditions.  Jesus  shows  in  this  passage 
that  they  really  did  not  care  so  much  for  the  commandments 
of  God  as  for  their  traditions;  that  indeed  they  often  set 
aside  the  commandment,  in  order  to  observe  the  tradition. 
Mk.  7:11.  Corban  .  .  .  given  to  God:  If  a  man  had 
vowed  to  give  a  certain  part  of  his  money  to  the  temple,  but 
found  himself  unable  both  to  keep  his  vow  and  to  support 
his  aged  parents,  the  rabbis  held  that  his  duty  to  the  temple 
came  first;  he  might  say  to  his  parents,  "  The  assistance  you 
might  have  had  from  me  is  dedicated  to  the  temple." 

THOUGHTS  FROM  OTHER  SOURCES. 

"  Sharper  than  a  serpent's  tooth  it  is 
To  have  a  thankless  child." — Shakespeare. 

"  God  could  not  be  everywhere,  so  He  made  mothers." — Holmes. 

"  Mother  is  the  name  for  God,  on  the  lips  and  hearts  of  little  chil- 
dren. ' ' —  Thackeray. 

"  The  noblest  thought  my  soul  can  claim, 
The  holiest  words  my  tongue  can  frame, 
Unv/orthy  are  to  praise  the  name 

More  sacred  than  all  other. 
An  infant,  when  her  love  first  came; 
A  man,  I  find  it  just  the  same ; 
Reverently  I  breathe  the  name, 
The  blessed  name  of  mother." 

DIRECTIONS  FOR  HOME  STUDY. 

Questions  on  the  Lesson.  Before  attempting  to  answer  these 
questions,  read  carefully  all  the  Scripture  passages  referred  to  at  the 
beginning  of  the  lesson. 

1.  What  was  the  penalty,  in  Old  Testament  times,  for  striking  or 
cursing  cn^'s  father  or  mother?     (Ex.  21: 15,  17.) 


2.  In  ancient  Rome,  a  father  could  put  his  own  son  to  death  when- 
ever he  chose.     Was  this  true  in  ancient  Israel?     (Deut.  21: 18-21.) 


3,  Why  was  it  necessary  in  ancient  times  to  have  such  severe  laws 
against  disobedience  to  parents?     (Note  2.) 


The  Rights  of  Parents  41 

4.  What  punishments  did  the  wise  men  declare  would  com.e  upon 
one  who  dishonors  his  parents?  (Prov.  20:20;  30:17;  see  "Ex- 
planation of  Scripture  Passages.") 


5.  How  did  it  happen  that  the  parents  of  the  twelve-year-old  Jesus 
were  compelled  to  seek  for  Him?     (Lu.  2:41-45;  see  "  Explanation.") 


6.  What  did  He  say  to  them  when  they  finally  found  Him  in  the 
temple  ? 


7.  What  kind  of  boy  was  Jesus  at  home?     (Lu.  2:40,  51,  52.) 


8.  Suppose  a  man  had  vowed  to  give  money  to  the  temple,  but 
afterwards  found  that  his  aged  parents 'needed  it  for  their  support, 
and  was  therefore  in  doubt  as  to  his  duty  in  the  matter ;  what  did  the 
rabbis  say  was  duty  ?     What  did  Jesus  say  (Mk.  7 : 9-13)  ? 


9.  How  was  Jesus  an  ideal  son,  both  as  a  boy  and  as  a  man  ?     (Note 
4.) 


10.  What  are  some  of  the  duties  of  children  to  parents,  implied  in 
modern  laws?     (Note  3.) 


Note^book  Work.  Read  the  story  of  Rizpah,  in  2  Sam.  21:1-14, 
and  also  Tennyson's  poem,  Rizpah.  Write  out  one  of  these  stories 
in  your  own  words,  to  read  to  the  class. 

Read  the  story  of  Jephthah's  daughter  (Jud.  11:29-40).  Tell 
what  you  think  about  her,  as  a  character. 

Memory  Work.  The  Ten  Commandments  (Ex.  20:1-17)  and 
*'  Thoughts  from  other  Sources  "  (page  40). 


42  Christian  Life  and  Conduct  Lesson 

Lesson   8.     THE   RIGHTS   OF   DUMB   ANIMALS. 
Laws  against  Cruelty. 

Scripture  Lesson,  Ex.  23:10-12,  196;  Lev.  22:28;  Deut.  22:6,  7; 
25:4;  Prov.  12:10;  Lu.  12:24. 

Note  1.  What  is  Cruelty?  During  the  last  six  months  of 
1907,  plumes  from  one  hundred  and  fifteen  thousand  white 
herons,  or  egrets,  were  sold  at  auction  in  London.  These 
plumes,  also  called  egrets,  or  aigrettes,  are  found  only  during 
the  mating  and  nesting  season.  The  parent  birds  are  killed 
and  the  little  ones  are  left  to  starve.  Millions  of  little  birds 
thus  perished  in  the  marshes  of  South  America  and  along 
the  Florida  coast,  as  a  result  of  this  cruel  fashion.  The  plume 
hunters,  in  their  greedy  haste,  often  tear  off  the  plume  while 
the  bird  is  living,  and  leave  it  to  suffer  for  days,  until  death 
comes  to  its  relief.  Absorbed  in  the  care  of  their  young, 
these  mother  herons  lose  all  fear,  and  are  easily  killed.  Surely 
there  are  not  many  people  who  would  wear  egret  plumes 
if  they  realized  these  facts.  But  is  it  right  for  women  to 
wear  any  sort  of  birds  upon  their  hats?  Is  it  ever  right  to 
cause  animals  to  suffer  for  the  needs  of  men?  Let  us  seek 
for  the  answers  to  such  questions,  through  the  study  of  this 
lesson. 

Note  2.     Old  Testament  Laws  for  the  Protection  of  Animals. 

Three  of  the  laws  referred  to  above  may  be  said  to  be  based 
on  sentiment  rather  than  on  fact,  namely,  Ex.  23:195; 
Lev.  22:28;  Deut.  22:6.  But  true  sentiment  is  well  worth 
protecting.  It  causes  no  suffering  to  the  slaughtered  sheep 
or  cow  if  its  offspring  be  killed  the  same  day.  Yet,  in  view 
of  the  strength  of  mother  love  even  among  dumb  animals, 
such  an  act  seemed  to  the  Hebrews  cruel ;  and  their  legislators 
took  care  that  this  natural  sympathy  for  animal  mothers 
should  be  fostered  by  law.  The  other  two  passages  are  to  be 
explained  in  the  same  way.  The  Hebrew  laws  for  the  pro- 
tection of  animals  are  unique  among  ancient  legal  codes. 
There  were,  indeed,  many  laws  in  Egypt  and  also  in  India 
giving  special  protection  to  certain  animals.  But  these 
regulations  were  based  on  idolatry  and  superstition.  The 
Hebrew  laws,  on  the  other  hand,  were  inspired  by  genuine 
sympathy  for  dumb  animals  themselves. 

Note    3.    Modern    Laws    against    Cruelty.     Until    recent 


Eight  The  Rights  of  Dumb  Animals  43 

times  animals  have  not  been  protected  by  law.  If  a  man 
was  notoriously  cruel  he  might  be  punished  for  corrupting 
public  morals.  Even  the  old  laws  thus  recognized  that  cru- 
elty to  animals  degrades  the  character,  and  leads  to  cruelty 
to  human  beings  also.  But  statutes  have  now  been  enacted 
in  England  and  in  most  of  our  states  directly  forbidding 
all  unnecessary  cruelty.  The  following  are  examples  of  cruel 
actions  which  are  forbidden  by  many  of  these  statutes: 
Abandonment  of  a  disabled  animal;  transporting  animals 
on  a  railroad  for  more  than  twenty-four  hours  without  un- 
loading for  rest,  water  and  food ;  poisoning  or  attempting 
to  poison  animals;  throwing  broken  glass  or  any  similar 
substance  in  a  public  place;  slaughtering  with  unnecessary 
cruelty ;  overdriving  or  overloading  horses. 

Note  4.  The  Recent  Development  of  a  More  Humane 
Public  Sentiment.  These  statutes  are  one  expression  of  a 
great  movement  towards  the  suppression  of  cruelty,  which 
began  during  the  nineteenth  century,  and  which  is  gaining 
strength  every  year.  One  of  the  great  leaders  in  this  move- 
ment was  George  T.  Angell,  who  "  spoke  for  those  that  can- 
not speak  for  themselves  "  (see  Lesson  43,  Heroes  of  the 
Faith). 

There  are  many  other  manifestations  of  this  modern  spirit ; 
for  example,  the  publications  of  the  American  Humane  Edu- 
cation Society,  including  the  famous  story.  Black  Beauty. 
Hundreds  of  people  in  all  parts  of  the  land  are  now  interested 
in  the  study  and  protection  of  birds,  and  are  organizing 
Audubon  societies,  named  after  the  great  naturalist.  In 
almost  every  city  there  are  humane  societies,  with  officers 
legally  empowered  to  arrest  any  persons  guilty  of  cruelty 
to  animals.  Many  who  go  hunting  now  carry  not  a  gun,  but 
a  camera.  It  requires  much  more  courage  to  go  close  enough 
to  a  dangerous  wild  animal  to  photograph  it  than  it  does  to 
shoot  it  from  a  distance.  It  is  therefore  more  fun.  In  short, 
the  public  conscience  seems  more  sensitive  in  this  matter  of 
duty  to  the  lower  animals  than  ever  before  in  history.  Many 
experiments  have  recently  been  made  to  find  out  the  nature 
and  extent  of  the  mental  life  of  animals.  These  experiments 
seem  to  show  that  if  animals  have  reasoning  power  at  all,  it  is 
very  feeble ;  nor  are  they  capable  of  forming  moral  ideals. 
Where  animals,  therefore,  can  be  utilized,  for  example,  as  food, 
to  meet  real  human  needs,  it  is  right  for  us  so  to  use  them. 


44  Christian  Life  and  CondtLct  Lesson 

Vet  it  is  clear  that  animals  have  many  feelings  similar  to  those 
of  human  beings.  Though  they  cannot  reason,  they  cer- 
tainly can  love  and  suffer.  It  is  surely  wrong,  therefore, 
to  cause  them  unnecessary  pain. 

EXPLANATION  OF  SCRIPTURE  PASSAGES. 

Ex.  23:11.  The  seventh  year  thou  shalt  let  it  rest  and  lie 
fallow:  That  is,  uncultivated.  This  does  not  mean  that  all 
the  farmers  in  the  land  should  observe  the  same  year,  but 
that  each  field  should  be  allowed  to  lie  fallow  once  in  seven 
years.  This  was  important  for  the  sake  of  the  soil.  We  seek 
to  accomplish  the  same  end  by  rotating  crops,  instead  of 
wearing  out  the  soil  by  raising  the  same  kind  of  crop  year 
after  year.  Similar  customs  having  the  same  end  in  view 
were  common  among  the  ancient  peoples.  The  unique  thing 
about  the  Hebrew  law  was  its  special  provision  for  the  poor 
and  for  animals.  Ex.  23:19.  Thou  shalt  not  boil  a  kid  in  its 
mother's  milk:  To  do  so  would  seem  a  wanton  insult  to  mother 
love,  unjustifiable  even  in  the  case  of  an  animal  mother 
(Note  2).  Deut.  22:6,  7.  Thou  shalt  not  take  the  dam  with 
the  young:  This  law  again  seems  based  in  part  upon  senti- 
ment. The  law  is  so  worded  as  to  prohibit  taking  the  mother 
bird  and  leaving  the  little  ones  to  starve.  Deut.  25:4.  Thou 
shalt  not  muzzle  the  ox  when  he  treadeth  out  the  grain:  In 
ancient  times,  grain  was  frequently  threshed  by  means  of 
heavy  sledges  dragged  by  oxen  across  the  threshing  floor. 
Prov.  12:10.  The  tender  mercies  of  the  wicked  are  cruel: 
Even  in  his  most  merciful  moods,  the  wicked  man  is  cruel. 
Lu.  12:24.  God  feedeth  them:  The  main  point  in  this  passage 
is  God's  care  for  His  human  children.  Yet  the  very  fact 
that  Jesus  referred  to  the  ravens  as  under  God's  loving  care, 
shows  that  He  thought  of  them  as  deserving  human  con- 
sideration also. 

THOUGHTS  FROM  OTHER  SOURCES. 

"  He  prayeth  best  who  loveth  best 
All  things  both  great  and  small, 
For  the  dear  God  who  loveth  us, 
He  made  and  loveth  all." 

— Coleridge. 

"  Detested  sport, 
That  owes  its  pleasure  to  another's  pain." — Cowper. 


^*^^^-  The  Rights  of  Dumb  Animals  46 

"  I  would  not  enter  on  my  list  of  friends 
(Though  graced  with  polished  manners  and  fine  sense. 
Yet  wanting  sensibility)  the  man 
Who  needlessly  sets  foot  upon  a  worm." — Cowper. 

DIRECTIONS  FOR  HOME  STUDY. 

Questions  on  the  Lesson.  Before  attempting  to  answer  these 
questions,  read  carefully  all  the  Scripture  passages  referred  to  at  the 
beginning  of  the  lesson, 

1.  According  to  the  Hebrew  law,  how  frequently  was  each  field 
to  be  allowed  to  lie  fallow  for  a  season?     (Ex.  20  :  10,  11.) 


2.   How  was  that  beneficial  to  the  land?     (See  "  Explanation  of 
Scripture  Passages.") 


3.  During  the  year  that  the  land  lay  fallow,  who  was  to  have  what- 
ever grew  on  it  of  itself?     (Ex.  23: 10,  11.) 


4.  For  the  benefit  of  what  animals  was  the  Hebrew  Sabbath  partly 
intended?     (Ex.  23:12.) 


5.   What  were  two  Hebrew  laws  regulating  the  use  of  animals  foi 
food?     (Ex.  23:196;  Lev.  22:28.) 


6.  What  was  the  Hebrew  law  about  taking  birds  from  their  nesti 
(Deut.  22:6,  7.) 


7.  What  rule  was  made  by  the  Hebrew  lawgivers,  regarding  the 
treatment  of  the  oxen  at  threshing  floors?  (Deut,  25:4;  see  "  Ex- 
planation.") 


46  Christian  Life  and  Conduct  Lfs-'on 

8,  According  to  Proverbs  how  does  a  righteous  man  treat  animals? 
(Prov.  12  :10.) 


9.  What  lines  in  the  verse  from  Coleridge's  Ancient  Mariner,  on 
page  44,  remind  you  of  the  words  of  Jesus?  (Lu.  12: 24;  see  "  Explana- 
tion.") 


10.     What    are   some   of    the  ways  in  which    boys  and   girls  are 
thoughtlessly  cruel  to  animals  ? 


Note-book  Work.  (Choose  one  of  the  following  topics.)  Paste 
in  your  note-book  some  animal  picture  that  you  like,  by  Rosa  Bon- 
heur  or  Landseer.  Underneath  write  an  account  of  v/hat  is  done  in 
your  town  for  the  protection  of  animals. 

Read  the  entire  poem,  The  Rime  of  the  Ancient  Mariner,  by  Coleridge, 
or  Longfellow's  The  Birds  of  Killingivorth.  Write  what  you  think 
are  the  teachings  of  the  poem  which  you  choose. 

Write  a  sketch  of  John  James  Audubon  (see  any  encyclopedia) ,  or  of 
George  T.  Angell. 


Lesson  9.    THE   RIGHTS   OF  THE   UNPROTECTED. 

Laws  against  Oppression. 

Scripture  Lesson,  Ex.  21:2-6;  22:21-25;  23:9;  Lev.  19:9,  10,  13,  14; 
Deut.  15:12-18;  23:15,  16;  24:14,  15,  19-22;  27:18,  19. 

Note  1.  A  Modern  Form  of  Oppression.  The  following 
is  the  true  story  of  a  Lithuanian  immigrant,  told  in  his  own 
words.  It  describes  his  experiences  when  he  landed  in  New 
York,  knowing  nothing  about  the  city  and  unable  to  speak 
or  understand  English.  "  In  the  six  years  since  I  landed 
with  my  wife  and  babies  in  New  York,  I  have  thought  many 
times  that  it  would  be  a  good  thing  to  keep  a  school  where 
an  immigrant  could  be  taught  how  to  get  along  in  America 
without  being  cheated  and  fooled.  When  we  came  I  had  with 
me  a  letter  to  St.  Joseph's  Home,  117  Broad  Street.  We 
came  out  from  quarantine.  It  was  not  pleasant  there. 
My  stomach  was  sick.     My  head  went  aroimd  with  the  tioise. 


^^'^  The  Rights  of  the  Unprotected  47 

Men  surrounded  me,  and  caught  at  me.  They  would  take 
me,  they  would  take  me,  they  said.  What  could  I  do  but 
go  with  some  of  them?  *  Will  ycu  surely  take  us  to  St. 
Joseph's  Home?  '  *  Oh,  yes,  yes.'  The  guide  took  us 
through  the  streets,  at  last  to  a  crowded  bar  and  tables. 
■'  Here  we  are,'  they  said.  Soon  I  saw  there  was  a  great  deal 
of  bad  conduct  going  on.  I  could  not  believe  that  St.  Joseph's 
Home  would  be  such  a  place  as  this.  But  they  insisted  it 
was  St.  Joseph's  Home.  So  I  ordered  supper.  But  when 
we  had  eaten  our  supper,  I  jumped  up  and  said  wc  would  go. 
There  was  a  big  outcry  that  I  could  not  leave,  that  I  must 
pay.  But  the  boy  and  I  spoke  out  loud.  I  paid  for  all, 
and  we  struck  out  a  little  with  our  fists,  and  we  got  out  on 
the  street.  Undoubtedly,  as  I  know  now,  the  people  of  that 
place  intended  to  make  us  drunk  and  rob  us." 

Note   2.     Old  Testament   Laws   for   the   Unprotected.    A 

foreigner  in  any  country  is  naturally  at  a  disadvantage.  He 
is  a  stranger  in  a  strange  land,  ignorant  of  its  customs  and 
language.  In  ancient  Israel,  he  was  still  more  at  the  mercy 
of  wicked  men,  because  should  he  be  murdered  he  had  no 
relatives  near  at  hand  to  avenge  his  death.  There  was  no 
police  force  in  those  days,  and  murder  was  not  punished 
except  through  private  vengeance  (see  Lesson  1).  Hence 
when  foreigners  came  to  live  among  the  Hebrews  they  usually 
put  themselves  under  the  protection  of  some  powerful  man, 
agreeing  to  work  for  him,  if  he  would  protect  them.  Some- 
times they  were  compelled  to  become  virtual  slaves,  in  order 
to  obtain  such  protection.  Hence  the  laws  referred  to  in 
our  lesson  prohibiting  injustice  to  the  foreigner  (Ex.  22:21; 
23:9;  Lev.  19:10;  Deut.  24:17). 

In  all  countries  where  slavery  has  existed  poverty  has 
always  been  a  frequent  cause  of  it.  Men  found  themselves 
and  their  families  on  the  verge  of  starvation,  and  were  willing 
to  sell  themselves  to  some  one  more  fortunate  in  order  to 
be  provided  with  food,  clothing,  and  shelter.  Or  a  man 
might  be  unable  to  pay  his  debts,  and  was  sold  into  slavery 
by  his  creditors.  Among  many  ancient  peoples,  especially 
among  the  Romans,  slaves  were  treated  with  great  harsh- 
ness. Among  the  Hebrews,  on  the  other  hand,  a  faithful 
slave  was  regarded  almost  as  a  member  of  the  family.  See, 
for  example,  the  story  of  Abraham's  servant  (Gen.  ch.  24). 


48  Christian  Life  and  Conduct  Lesson 

In  this  lesson  we  study  certain  Old  Testament  laws  for  the 
special  protection  of  slaves.  Any  Hebrew  who  had  been 
sold  into  slavery  might  go  free  at  the  end  of  six  years  (Ex. 
21:2-6).  His  former  master,  moreover,  was  commanded 
to  send  him  away  well  stocked  with  provisions,  so  that  he 
would  not  suffer  from  hunger  before  he  was  able  to  provide 
for  himself  (Deut.  15:13,  14).  The  Hebrew  law  regarding 
runaway  slaves  was  also  favorable  to  the  slave.  In  this 
respect  it  is  very  different  from  the  law  in  ancient  Babylonia. 
According  to  the  code  of  Hammurabi,  king  of  Babylonia 
(about  1900  B.  c),  any  one  who  protected  a  runaway  slave 
was  to  be  put  to  death.  According  to  the  Hebrew  code,  on 
the  other  hand,  it  was  not  only  lawful  to  protect  a  runaway 
slave,  but  it  was  unlawful  to  return  him  to  his  master.  This 
made  it  possible  for  a  slave  to  escape  from  a  cruel  master. 

In  the  early  days  of  Israel  there  were  no  hired  servants. 
Poor  people  did  their  own  work.  Those  who  were  richer  had 
slaves.  But  as  the  centuries  passed,  people  began  to  cul- 
tivate larger  farms  and  to  build  larger  and  better  houses. 
There  was  more  work  to  be  done,  and  a  greater  demand  for 
laborers.  Thus  there  came  to  be  people  among  the  Hebrews 
who  went  out  to  work  for  daily  wages.  Their  condition  was 
often  far  worse  than  that  of  a  slave.  They  were  indeed  their 
own  masters,  and  could  go  where  they  pleased.  But  slaves, 
on  the  other  hand,  could  always  be  sure  of  a  dinner,  and  a 
place  to  sleep  at  night,  whereas,  if  a  wage-earner  did  not  have 
the  money  to  buy  these  things,  he  had  to  go  hungry,  and 
sleep  on  the  ground.  So  the  later  Hebrew  laws  contained 
provisions  for  the  protection  of  wage-earners  (Lev.  19:13; 
Deut.  24:14,  15).      _ 

In  a  state  of  civilization  whei;e  one's  personal  safety  de- 
pended chiefly  upon  physical  force,  woman  necessarily  oc- 
cupied a  dependent  position.  Her  husband  must  be  her 
protector.  In  such  a  civilization,  widows  and  orphans 
would  be  very  much  at  the  mercy  of  wicked  and  unscrupulous 
men.  For  this  reason  the  early  Hebrew  laws  were  especially 
careful  to  protect  them  (Ex.  22:22-24;  Deut.  24:17-21; 
27:19). 

Most  of  the  Hebrew  laws  for  the  protection  of  poor  debtors 
were  included  under  Lesson  2.  One,  however,  forbidding 
the  taking  of  interest,  remains  to  be  studied  in  this  connection 
(Ex   22:25).     There    was   not    very    much    business    among 


^^^  THe  Rights  of  the  Unprotected  49 

the  Hebrews,  and  men  did  not  frequently  borrow  money, 
as  they  do  now,  in  order  to  make  a  profit  on  it;  they  only 
borrowed  money  when  they  needed  it  very  badly,  for  the 
necessities  of  life.  This  is  why  the  Hebrew  laws  prohibited 
interest. 

Note  3.  Modern  Laws  against  Oppression.  A  complete 
account  of  modern  progress  toward  more  humane  laws 
would  be  a  thrilling  story.  Slavery  has  now  been  abolished 
in  all  civilized  countries.  Imprisonment  for  debt  has  been 
abolished;  there  are  other  modern  laws  for  the  protection 
of  poor  debtors.  For  example,  although  a  creditor  may  in 
certain  cases  "  attach  "  the  property  of  a  debtor,  that  is, 
have  it  seized  by  the  sheriff,  and  held  until  the  debt  is  paid, 
yet  the  laws  in  most  states  provide  that  a  man's  personal 
clothing,  his  household  goods,  and  the  tools  of  his  trade 
shall  not  be  attached. 

In  all  civilized  countries,  homes  and  asylums  are  now 
maintained  by  law  for  the  poor,  for  orphans,  and  for  the  in- 
sane. These  institutions  are  not  always  conducted  in  the 
most  Christian  manner.  But  the  fact  that  modem  nations 
thus  recognize  certain  duties  to  the  weak  and  unfortunate 
represents  a  great  triumph  of  Christianity. 

There  are  many  other  modern  laws  which  might  be  men- 
tioned, some  of  them  quite  recent.  For  example,  in  the  year 
1905,  twenty-two  states  passed  laws  regulating  child  labor. 
In  most  cases  it  was  made  unlawful  to  employ  children  under 
fourteen  years  of  age,  at  least  during  school  hours.  Some 
countries  now  have  laws  compelling  both  employers  and 
wage-earners  to  submit  to  arbitration  in  case  of  a  strike. 
Each  side  must  accept  the  decision  of  the  arbitration  board 
regarding  wages,  hours  of  labor,  and  other  disputed  points. 
Such  a  law  protects  both  parties. 

Note  4.  Modem  Charitable  Movements.  The  laws  and 
state  institutions  mentioned  above  form  a  very  small  part 
of  what  is  now  being  done,  under  the  influence  of  the  teach- 
ings of  the  Bible,  to  help  the  weak,  the  unprotected  and  the 
unfortunate.  In  the  spirit  of  the  Hebrew  laws,  we  are  doing 
something  for  the  foreigner.  At  Ellis  Island,  in  New  York 
harbor,  where  immigrants  are  detained  for  inspection  before 
they  are  admitted  into  this  country,  there  are  now  some 
thirty  missionaries  representing  the  leading  Christian  denom- 


50  Christian  Life  and  Conduct  Lesson 

inations.  A  large  room  is  set  aside  for  their  use.  Many 
immigrants  who  are  ill  are  thus  cared  for.  Many  who  are 
homesick  are  cheered.  Thousands  are  saved  from  falling 
into  the  hands  of  dishonest  men.  There  are  also  many 
homes  fitted  up  b)^  Christian  people,  to  accommodate  im- 
migrants while  they  are  looking  for  work.  Night  schools 
are  conducted  by  the  Young  Men's  Christian  Association  to 
teach  them  English.  Much  more  work  of  this  kind  is  greatly 
needed.     Still,  a  good  beginning  has  been  made. 

There  is  also  much  being  done  to  help  the  poor.  Social 
settlements  have  been  established  by  the  hundreds  in  the 
poorer  sections  of  our  cities,  not  chiefly  to  distribute  money, 
but  rather  to  be  radiating  centers  of  friendliness.  Astonish- 
ing as  it  may  seem,  leaders  in  charity  work,  in  the  narrower 
sense,  are  even  looking  forward  to  a  time  when  poverty  shall 
be  abolished.  Not  that  the  time  will  ever  come  when  every 
one  will  have  a  surplus  of  money,  but  that  the  time  must 
come  when  no  honest  and  industrious  father  will  be  unable 
to  support  his  family,  and  when  no  little  child  will  have  to 
go  hungry  to  bed.  That  happy  day  seems  very  distant  now. 
There  is  still  a  vast  amount  of  needless  suffering  in  the  world. 
"  Man's  inhumanity  to  man  "  still  "  makes  countless  thou- 
sands mourn."  But  we  are  learning  the  lesson  that  "  to 
whomsoever  much  is  given,  of  him  shall  much  be  required  " ; 
that  the  possession  of  health  and  strength  and  education 
and  property  involves  responsibility  toward  those  who  do 
not  have  these  blessings. 

EXPLANATION  OF  SCRIPTURE  PASSAGES. 
Ex.  21:2.  He  shall  go  out  free  for  nothing.  Slaves  some- 
times bought  their  freedom  with  money.  No  money  was  to 
be  exacted  of  them  for  their  freedom  when  this  seventh  year 
came  around.  Ex.  21 :3.  He  shall  go  out  by  himself:  Out  from 
his  former  master's  house,  to  his  new  life  of  freedom.  Ex. 
21:6.  Bring  him  unto  God:  That  is,  to  the  sanctuary,  of 
before  the  judges.  Ex.  22:21.  Sojourner:  A  foreigner  liv- 
ing among  the  Hebrews.  Ex.  22:24.  Wax  hot:  Grow  hot. 
I  will  kill  you  with  the  sword:  I  will  bring  upon  you  enemies 
in  war.  Ex.  22:25.  Thou  shalt  not  be  to  him  as  a  creditor: 
That  is,  harsh  and  exacting.  Ex.  23:9.  Ye  know  the  heart 
of  a  sojourner:  You  know  how  it  feels  to  be  a  stranger  in 
a  strange  land.    Lev.  19:13.    The  wages  of  a  hired  servant 


^»'«^  The  Rights  of  the  Unprotected  51 

shall  not  abide  with  thee  all  night  until  the  morning:  The 

rich  often  forget  that  a  poor  man  must  have  his  daily  wages 
to  buy  his  daily  food.  Lev.  19:14.  Thou  shalt  not  curse  the 
deaf:  The  ancients  believed  that  a  curse  actually  had  some 
magical  effect  on  the  fortunes  of  others.  The  deaf  man,  of 
course,  not  hearing  the  curse,  had  no  chance  to  defend  him- 
self, Deut.  15:18.  To  the  double  of  the  hire  of  a  hireling: 
A  hired  servant  would  have  cost  twice  as  much.  Deut. 
24:15.  In  his  day  thou  shalt  give  him  his  hire:  The  same 
day  that  he  earns  it.  Deut.  24:17.  Thou  shalt  not  wrest 
the  justice  due  to  the  sojourner:  Thou  shalt  not  do  wrong 
to  the  sojourner.  Deut.  24:20,  21.  When  thou  beatest 
thine  olive-tree,  etc.:  When  the  olives  are  shaken  from  the 
tree.  The  law  means,  do  not  strip  off  all  the  fruit.  Leave 
a  few  olives  on  the  tree,  and  a  few  grapes  on  the  vine. 

THOUGHTS  FROM  OTHER  SOURCES. 

"  Man's  inhumanity  to  man 

Makes  countless  thousands  mourn." 

— Burns. 

*'  And  earthly  power  doth  then  show  likest  God's 
When  mercy  seasons  justice," 

— Sha  kespeare. 

"  Right  wrong,  follow  the  King — 
Else,  wherefore  born?  " 

— Tennyson. 

DIRECTIONS  FOR  HOME  STUDY. 

Questions  on  the  Lesson.  Before  attempting  to  answer  these 
questions,  read  carefully  all  the  Scripture  passages  referred  to  at  the 
beginning  of  the  lesson. 

1.  For  how  long  a  term  of  years  could  a  Hebrew  be  sold  into  slavery? 
(Ex.  21:2;  Deut.  15:12-15.) 


2.  If  a  slave  did  not  wish  to  be  set  free,  but  wished  to  belong  to 
his  master  for  hfe,  what  ceremony  was  performed?  (Ex.  21:5,  6; 
Deut.  15:16,  17.) 


3.  What  special  reason  is  given  in  the  Old  Testament  law  to  show 
why  the  Hebrews  should  not  oppress  a  foreigner  living  among  them? 
(Ex.  22:21;  23:9.) 


52  Christian  Lije  and  Conduct 


LiHfin, 


4.   Why  did  foreigners  need  special  protection  in  ancient  times  i 
(Note  2.) 


5.   What  punishment  did  the  law  say  would  come  upon  the  Hebrews, 
if  they  were  unjust  to  widows  or  fatherless  children?     (Ex.  22:22-24.) 


6.   What  was  the  Hebrew  law  regarding  interest  on  money?     (Ex. 
22:25.) 


7.  What  law  among  the  Hebrews  regarding  the  harvesting  of  fields 
v/as  intended  to  help  poor  people?      (Lev.  19:9,  10;  Deut.  24:19-22.) 


8.  What  were  the  Hebrew  laws  as  to  the  treatment  of 
(a)   Hired  servants?     (Lev.  19:13;  Deut.  24:14,  15.) 

{b)   Deaf  and  blind  people?     (Lev.  19:14;  Deut.  27:18.) 

9.  What  are  some  modern  laws  for  the  protection  of  poor  debtors? 
(Note  3.) 


10.  A  young  girl  came  as  a  freshman  to  a  college  for  women.  Her 
father  was  dead,  and  she  was  poor.  Her  clothes  were  not  in  the  latest 
style.  Sortie  of  the  upper  class  students  made  fun  of  her  clothes. 
What  laws  in  our  lesson  did  they  violate,  in  spirit? 


Note-book  Work.  (Choose  one  of  the  following  topics.)  In  the 
novel  Ben-Hur,  the  character  Simonides  illustrates  one  of  the  laws 
m  this  week's  lesson  (bk.  v,  ch.  vii).     Explain. 

Look  up  in  an  encyclopedia  the  story  of  Dorothea  Dix,  and  what 
she  did  to  reform  insane  asylums,  or  what  John  Howard  did  for 
prisoners.     Write  a  brief  account  in  your  note-book. 


^^  Justice  in  Punishments  58 

Lescon  19.     JUSTICE    IN    PUNISHMENTS.     How    Respon- 
sibility for  Wrong-doing  is  Determined  by  Law. 

Scripture  Lesson,  Josh.  7:22-26;  Deut.  24: 16;  25:1-3;  Mt.  7:1-5. 

Note  1.  The  Difficulty  of  Fixing  Responsibility.  A  college 
student  was  acting  as  a  waiter  at  a  summer  hotel.  One 
morning,  when  every  one  was  anxious  for  breakfast,  one  of 
the  girls  who  worked  in  the  kitchen  collided  with  him,  break- 
ing a  valuable  dish,  and  causing  serious  delay.  Which  of 
them  was  to  blame?  V/as  each  of  them  partly  to  blame? 
These  are  sometimxs  hard  questions  to  answer?  In  this  case, 
the  young  man  did  the  honorable  thing,  saying  to  the  pro- 
prietor, **  It  was  mostly  my  fault."  Our  lesson  on  punish- 
ments is  a  study  of  the  efforts  of  men  of  different  nations  and 
of  different  ages  to  answer  these  questions:  "  Whc  is  to 
blarne,  and  how  much?" 

Note  2.     Old  Testament  Laws  regarding  Punishment.     In 

early  ages  of  human  history,  when  persons  committed  certain 
crimes,  it  was  the  custom  to  punish  not  only  the  offender  him- 
self, but  also  his  whole  family.  This  was  done  because  it  was 
thought  that  the  members  of  the  family  were  so  closely  bound 
together  by  a  common  life  that  the  guilt  of  one  involved  the 
guilt  of  all.  This  was  especially  the  case  where  the  crime 
had  brought  suffering  or  loss  upon  the  entire  tribe  or  nation, 
as  did  the  theft  of  Achan,  who  with  his  family,  his  cattle,  his 
tent,  and  **  all  that  he  had  "  was  brought  to  the  valley  of 
Achor,  and  there  stoned  and  burned  (Josh.  ch.  7).  The  time 
came,  however,  when  the  Hebrews  realized  the  injustice  of 
punishing  innocent  persons  simply  because  they  belonged  to 
the  criminal's  family  (Deut.  24:16). 

Because  the  spirit  which  inspired  punishments  in  early 
times  was  usually  vindictive,  the  punishments  were  cruel. 
People  accepted  their  own  feelings  of  indignation  as  the  meas- 
ure of  the  offender's  guilt.  It  is  interesting  to  compare  the 
laws  of  the  Hebrews  in  this  respect  with  the  code  of  Ham- 
murabi of  Babylon.  The  Babylonian  punishments  were 
much  more  severe.  The  death  penaltv  was  inflicted  for  a 
greater  number  of  crimes.  Among  the  llebrews,  a  thief  who 
could  not  pay  his  fine  was  sold  into  slavery  (Ex.  22 : 3),  whereas 
in  Babylon  he  was  put  to  death.  The  penalty  for  burglary 
was  always  death.     A  man  who  should  steal  from  a  burning 


54  Christian  Life  and  Conduct  Lesson 

house  was  condemned,  according  to  Hammurabi,  to  be  thrown 

into  the  fire.  Even  a  gadding  and  disrespectful  wife  might  be 
drowned.  The  Babylonian  laws  also  contained  provisions 
which  seem  to  us  to  involve  a  needless  and  unjust  amount  of 
suffering.  A  man  who  had  struck  his  superior  was  con- 
demned to  receive  sixty  strokes  in  public  with  an  ox-tail  whip. 
The  Hebrew  law  limited  to  forty  the  number  of  strokes  which 
might  be  inflicted  upon  any  offender.  Thus  the  Hebrew 
lawgivers  had  at  least  begun  seriously  to  ask  the  question, 
"  Are  not  some  punishments  too  severe?" 

Note  3.  The  Increasing  Justice  of  the  Punishments  Inflicted 
by  Modern  Law.  Early  English  laws  assumed  that  when  a 
crime  was  committed  by  a  peasant,  it  was  far  more  heinous 
than  when  committed  by  an  educated  man,  or  a  nobleman. 
Any  criminal  who  was  able  to  read  could  receive  "  benefit  of 
clergy,"  and  in  many  cases  go  scot-free.  Originally,  as  a 
matter  of  fact,  few  could  read,  except  the  clergy,  for  whose 
benefit  this  law  was  at  first  made.  But  the  privilege  of  receiv- 
ing "  benefit  of  clergy  "  continued  to  be  granted  to  all  who 
could  read,  even  after  there  were  many  educated  persons 
besides  clergymen.  Any  nobleman,  down  to  the  time  of 
queen  Victoria,  was  allowed  to  plead  "  benefit  of  clergy."  In 
view  of  the  fact  that  in  early  days  noblemen  made  all  the  laws, 
these  facts  are  not  surprising.  It  is  still  a  common  tendency 
of  human  nature  to  regard  certain  acts  as  wrong  when  done 
by  others,  but  right  when  done  by  ourselves. 

Punishments  in  early  English  laws  were  very  severe.  Those 
of  a  humiliating  nature,  such  as  the  stocks,  the  pillory  and  the 
whipping-post,  were  everyday  affairs.  Punishments  involv- 
ing extreme  suffering  were  not  unusual.  Prisoners  were 
boiled  alive.  Witches  and  heretics  were  burned  at  the  stake ; 
and  as,  in  that  ignorant  age,  belief  in  witches  was  widespread, 
and  any  one  who  disagreed  with  the  accepted  religion  was 
called  a  **  heretic,"  this  punishment  was  terribly  common. 
As  for  the  death  penalty — seventy-two  thousand  persons  were 
executed  by  one  form  or  another  during  the  reign  of  king 
Henry  the  Eighth.  To  kill  a  deer,  to  steal  a  hawk,  to  steal  a 
handkerchief  worth  more  than  thirteen  pence,  were  capital 
crimes.  Men,  women,  and  even  children  were  put  to  death 
for  offenses  now  punished  by  a  small  fine,  or  a  short  imprison- 
ment.    As  late  as  1820  there  were  more  than  two  hundred 


^«n  Justice  in  Punishments  55 

capital  crimes  in  English  law.  This  hideous  criminal  code 
was  never  in  full  force  in  any  of  the  English  colonies.  Under 
the  early  laws  of  Connecticut  and  Massachusetts,  there  were 
only  fourteen  capital  crimes.  In  practically  all  civilized 
countries  only  treason  and  murder  remain  of  this  list.  In  some 
American  states  the  death  penalty  has  been  abolished  alto- 
gether. 

There  are  other  changes  in  the  treatment  of  criminals  in 
modem  times.  In  England,  formerly,  many  persons  whom 
the  law  would  now  regard  as  insane,  and  therefore  not  re- 
sponsible, were  put  to  death.  The  great  number  of  mental 
and  nervous  diseases  which  may  render  a  person  irresponsible 
is  now  better  recognized  by  our  law  courts.  Indeed,  many 
attempts  are  made  to  take  unfair  advantage  of  this  recogni- 
tion. The  mere  fact  that  a  man  was  in  an  extreme  passion 
has  been  used  as  a  basis  for  a  plea  of  insanity.  But  while  the 
law  recognizes  that  in  such  a  mental  state  a  man  is  no  longer 
responsible  for  his  acts,  it  holds  him  responsible  for  allowing 
himself  to  get  into  such  a  state.  A  man  is  likewise  pun- 
ished for  acts  committed  while  drunk,  because  he  is  held 
responsible  for  getting  drunk.  More  and  more,  however, 
men  are  coming  to  realize  that  even  in  such  cases  others  beside 
the  offender  himself  are  usually  in  part  responsible.  The 
community  that  licenses  saloons  is  partly  responsible  for  the 
many  crimes  which  result  from  the  drinking  of  intoxicating 
liquor.  The  factory  owners  who  pay  such  low  wages  that  the 
wives  of  their  men  are  compelled  to  go  out  and  work  every 
day  to  support  their  families,  are  in  part  responsible  for  the 
neglected  children  who  wander  into  evil  ways.  In  short, 
men  are  trying  as  never  before  to  answer  rightly  the  old 
questions,  **  Who  is  to  blame,  and  how  much?"  And  they 
are  more  ready  than  formerly  to  make  the  confession,  "  We 
ourselves  are  partly  to  blame."  In  many  states,  therefore, 
when  a  young  person  is  brought  into  court  for  a  first  offense, 
the  judge  is  permitted  to  suspend  sentence,  and  let  the  accused 
go  out  on  probation.  For  the  wrong-doer  is  often  not  really 
bad,  but  simply  a  ^/ictim  of  evil  surroundings.  Even  those 
who  are  sent  to  prison  are  now  treated  more  like  human 
beings  than  like  wretches  so  depraved  as  to  be  beyond  ref- 
ormation. In  some  penitentiaries  the  prisoners  are  no 
longer  dressed  in  stripes. 

Crime  must  be   punished,   for   the  protection  of   society. 


56  Christian  Life  and  Conduct  Lessan 

A  moderate  punishment,  however*  inflicted  promptly,  is  far 
more  effective  than  a  sentence  of  very  severe  punishment 
which  will  not  be  inflicted  for  a  long  time,  and  perhaps  not  at 
all.  Hence  great  effort  is  now  being  put  forth  so  to  reform 
our  legal  machinery  that  punishment  may  be  swift  and  sure, 
and  yet  of  such  character  as  to  lead,  if  possible,  to  the  reforma- 
tion of  the  criminal  himself. 

Note  4.  The  Teaching  of  Jesus  as  to  the  Duty  of  Charitable 
Judgment.  All  this  is  in  close  harmony  with  the  spirit  of 
Jesus,  "  Judge  not,  that  ye  be  not  judged."  To  decide  the 
exact  degree  of  any  other  person's  guilt  and  to  punish  ac- 
cordingly is  a  problem  too  difficult  for  any  one  but  God. 
What  we  human  beings  can  do  is  to  recognize  and  acknowledge 
our  own  blameworthiness,  wherever  it  exists.  Each  of  us 
knows  himself,  far  better  than  he  knows  any  one  else.  It  is 
therefore  our  duty  to  "  cast  out  the  beam  out  of  our  own 
eye  "  before  venturing  to  "  cast  out  the  miote  "  out  of  the  eye 
of  our  brother.  We  should  be  severe  in  judging  ourselves  and 
charitable  in  judging  others. 

EXPLANATION  OF  SCRIPTURE  PASSAGES. 
Josh.  7:22.  So  Joshua  sent  messengers,  and  they  ran  unto 
the  tent:  That  is,  Achan's  tent.  Read  the  entire  story  of 
Achan's  theft  of  a  part  of  the  spoil  of  Jericho,  which  had  been 
"  devoted  "  (dedicated)  to  Jehovah,  and  how  his  deed  was 
discovered  (Josh.  7: 1-21).  Josh.  7:23.  They  laid  them  down 
before  Jehovah:  Before  the  ark,  which  the  Israelites  carried 
with  them  on  their  journeys.  Josh.  7:24.  The  valley  of 
Achor:  A  ravine  near  Jericho.  Deut.  25:2,  3.  Before  his  face 
...  by  number.  .  .  .  Forty  stripes  ...  he  shall  not  ex- 
ceed: Notice  the  above  three  precautions  against  excessive 
beating,  (i)  It  was  to  be  done  in  the  judge's  presence,  not 
in  secret ;  (2)  the  strokes  were  to  be  counted,  and  ( j)  not  more 
than  forty  were  allowed  to  be  given.  And  since  it  was  pre- 
scribed that  the  offender  should  be  beaten  "  according  to  his 
wickedness,"  it  is  impHed  that  the  judge  might  order  a  smaller 
number  than  the  extreme  penalty.  Deut.  25:3.  Lest.  .  .  thy 
brother  should  seem  vile  unto  thee:  Excessive  beating  was 
considered  humihating.  Mt.  7:2.  With  what  judgment  ye 
judge,  ye  shall  be  judged:  That  is,  those  who  are  unmerciful  to 
their  fellow  men.  cut  themselves  off  from  the  mercy  of  God. 


''^  Justice  in  Punishments  57 

Mt.  7:3.  The  beam  that  is  in  thine  own  eye:  The  words  mean 
just  what  they  say ;  the  beam,  the  saw-log  in  thine  own  eye. 
One  of  the  charms  of  the  sermons  of  Jesus,  from  a  Hterary 
standpoint,  is  His  occasional  use  of  quaint,  semi-humorous 
hyperboles. 

THOUGHTS  FROM  OTHER  SOURCES. 

"  There  can  be  no  justice  without  love." — Judge  Lindsey. 

'*  Though  justice  be  thy_  plea,  consider  this — 
That  in  the  course  of  justice,  none  of  us 
Should  see  salvation  :  we  do  pray  for  mercy; 
And  that  same  prayer  doth  teach  us  all  to  render 
The  deeds  of  mercy." — Shakespeare, 

"We  judge  others  by  results;  how  else? — not  knowing  the  process 
by  which  results  are  arrived  at." — George  Eliot. 

"  Lord,  enlighten  us  to  see  the  beam  that  is  in  our  own  eye,  and 
blind  us  to  the  mote  that  is  in  our  brother's.  Let  us  be  in  our  own  eyes 
and  in  all  conjunctions,  the  most  guilty." — Robert  Louis  Stevenson. 

DIRECTIONS  FOR  HOME  STUDY. 

Questions  on  the  Lesson.  Before  attempting  to  answer  these  ques- 
tions, read  carefully  all  the  Scripture  passages  referred  to  at  the 
beginning  of  the  lesson. 

1.  How  did  Joshua  find  out  that  some  one  had  stolen  a  part  of  the 
spoils  of  Jericho,  all  of  which  had  been  dedicated  to  Jehovah?  (Josh. 
7:6-12.) 


2,  How  did  Joshua  find  out  who  was  the  guilty  person  ?     (Josh.  7  : 
16-18.) 


•3.    What  other  persons  and  things  were  made  to  share  Achan's  fate? 
(Josh,  7:24.  25.) 


4.    In  later  times,  to  what  extent  did  the  Hebrew  law  prohibit  pun 
ishment  of  innocent  persons  with  the  guilty?     (Deut.  24: 16.) 


58  Christian  Life  and  Conduct  ^-^««^'' 

5.  In  what  three  ways  did  the  Hebrew  law  protect  wrong-doers  from 
excessive  punishment?  (Deut.  25  :l-3;  see  "  Explanation  of  Scripture 
Passages.") 


6.  In  what  respects  have  legal  punishments  in  England  and  America 
become  more  just?     (Note  3.) 


7.  If  a  man  commits  crimes  while  under  the  influence  of  liquor,  does 
the  law  hold  him  responsible,  or  not?     Give  the  reasons  for  the  law. 


8.  Show  that  other  persons  beside  the  criminal  may  be  partly  ta 
blame  for  his  crime.     How  do  recent  laws  recognize  this  fact? 


9.  A  certain  person  has  a  violent  temper,  and  lets  cruel  words  escape 
his  lips.  Can  you  think  of  facts  which  would  make  you  very  charitable 
in  your  judgment  of  him? 


10.  A  certain  young  woman  who  knows  that  she  easily  becomes  ab- 
sorbed in  an  interesting  novel  is  left  in  charge  of  the  baby,  and  allows 
him  to  fall  and  hurt  himself.  Is  it  a  fair  excuse  if  she  answers,  "  I 
was  reading  a  novel  "? 


Note-book  Work.  Write  your  opinion  of  the  justice  of  capital 
punishment.  Consider  the  following  points  :  Has  society  a  right  to 
inflict  punishment  as  an  expression  of  vengeance  ?  If  you  were  a  mem- 
ber of  a  jury,  would  the  fact  that  in  case  of  error  there  is  no  chance  to 
undo  the  infliction  of  a  death  penalty  lead  you  to  be  lenient  toward  the 
accused  man?  In  view  of  the  possibility  of  executing  an  innocent 
person,  would  it  be  more  just  to  impose  a  sentence  of  imprisonment  for 
life  in  cases  where  absolute  certainty  of  guilt  cannot  be  reached? 
Would  life  imprisonment  be  a  better  protection  for  society  against  the 
crime  of  murder  than  the  death  penalty? 


Eleven  jj^q  j^gkt  of  the  State  to  Honest  Service  59 

Lesson   11.    THE  RIGHT   OF  THE    STATE  TO   HONEST 
SERVICE.     The  Prohibition  of  Bribery. 

Scripture  Lesson,  Ex.  23:1-3,  6-8;  Lev.  19: 15;  Deut.  16: 18-20;  27;  25; 
Prov.  17:23;  18:5;  Amos  5:12. 

Note  1.  One  Kind  of  Bribery.  A  certain  young  man  was 
elected  captain  of  his  college  base-ball  team.  It  was  his 
duty  to  select  the  players  for  the  different  positions  in  the 
game.  From  the  beginning  of  the  season  there  was  a  hot 
contest  for  the  position  of  pitcher.  There  were  several  men 
in  college  who  could  throw  a  ball  with  accuracy  and  speed, 
and  who  were  clever  in  the  use  of  curves.  When  the  time 
came,  however,  for  the  championship  game,  the  captain  put 
in  as  pitcher  a  player  who  was  inferior  in  skill,  but  who  hap- 
pened to  be  his  personal  friend.  As  a  result  the  game  was  lost. 
The  students  were  angry  at  the  captain,  as  may  be  imagined. 
He  defended  himself,  in  private  conversation,  by  saying,  "  I 
always  stand  by  my  friends."  He  probably  would  have 
scorned  to  accept  money  for  putting  a  poor  player  on  the 
team.  But  was  not  the  misuse  of  friendship  as  bad  as  the 
misuse  of  money?     Was  not  his  action  a  form  of  bribe  taking.? 

Note  2.  Old  Testament  Laws  against  Bribery.  In  the  early 
history  of  the  Hebrews,  the  only  public  officers  in  each  town 
were  the  elders  (see  "  Introduction,"  page  2).  These  men 
performed  the  duties  of  mayor,  aldermen,  sheriff  and  judge. 
They  punished  criminals.  To  them  men  came  with  disputes 
to  be  settled.  After  the  days  of  Saul,  the  king  and  his  officers 
also  acted  as  judges  in  important  matters.  One  of  the  great- 
est hindrances  to  the  cause  of  justice  in  all  these  ancient 
Hebrew  courts  was  bribery  in  its  many  forms.  Sometimes 
one  of  the  parties  in  a  dispute  would  secretly  slip  a  piece  of 
money  to  the  judge.  Sometimes  the  judge  was  influenced  by 
fear.  The  elders  who  condemned  Naboth  to  death  doubtless 
feared  the  vengeance  which  Jezebel  would  take  if  they  refused 
to  do  her  bidding.  More  often  still,  rich  men  were  favored  and 
poor  men  wronged,  because  the  judge  realized  that  the  rich 
man  could  benefit  him  indirectly  in  many  ways  (Ex.  23:6). 
At  other  times,  on  the  contrary,  the  judge  allowed  his  sym- 
pathy for  a  poor  man  to  blind  his  eyes  to  the  facts  in  the  case 
(Ex.  23:3;  Lev.  19: 15).  All  these  ways  of  promoting  in- 
justice in  legal  decisions  aroused  the  indignation  of  the  wise 
men  and  the  prophets  (Prov.   17:23;  18:5;  Is.   1:23;  5:23; 


60  Christian  Life  and  Conduci  Lesson 

Amos  5:12;  Micah  3:9-11)  and  led  to  the  enactment  of  the 
laws  which  come  before  us  in  this  lesson. 

Note  3.     Modern    Laws    against    Bribery.     According    to 

modern  law,  any  public  official  who  allows  himself  to  be  in- 
fluenced in  the  performance  of  his  duty  by  a  gift  or  promise 
of  mocf^v  is  guilty  of  bribery.  A  man  who  gives  or  even  offers 
a  bribe,  whether  it  is  accepted  or  not,  is  just  as  guilty  as  the 
man  who  receives  one.  The  law  applies  to  the  buying  and 
selling  of  votes  at  an  election.  As  voters,  all  private  citizens 
are  to  that  extent  public  officials.  The  punishment  for  bri- 
bery is  a  fine,  or  a  term  of  imprisonment,  or  both. 

Modern  judges  in  civilized  countries  have  a  very  strict  code 
of  honor.  It  is  considered  improper  for  a  judge  even  to  be 
present  at  a  discussion  of  any  question  which  may  come  before 
him  for  settlement.  Any  judge  who  attempts  to  pass  judg- 
ment on  a  matter  in  which  he  is  himself  personally  interested 
is  usually  scorned  by  all  his  associates.  Even  if  he  should 
decide  against  his  own  interests  his  connection  with  the 
matter  would  be  improper.  This  high  standard  is  now  being 
accepted  more  than  formerly  by  all  public  officials.  Legis- 
lators are  criticised  for  owning  stock  in  corporations  which  may 
be  affected  by  the  laws  which  they  are  called  upon  to  enact. 
Any  use  of  public  office  for  private  gain  is  now  condemned 
as  "  graft,"  and  is  regarded  as  similar  in  principle  to  bribery. 

Note  4.  The  Dishonor  of  Bribery.  The  reason  why  it  is  so 
dishonorable  to  give  or  accept  a  bribe  is  because  it  is  dis- 
honorable to  violate  a  trust.  Every  one  recognizes  that  a 
trust  is  something  sacred.  It  is  bad  enough  to  steal  from  per- 
sons v/ho  are  themselves  trying  to  protect  their  property. 
But  it  is  far  worse  to  steal  from  a  person  who  has  entrusted 
his  property  to  our  care  for  its  protection.  To  accept  a  trust 
puts  one  "  on  his  honor."  To  betray  a  trust  is  a  dark  stain  on 
one's  honor.  Now  "  a  public  office  is  a  public  trust."  A 
man  who  has  accepted  a  public  office  is  in  honor  bound  to  use 
the  power  of  that  office  for  the  good  of  all  the  people.  He  is 
expected,  whether  he  is  a  senator  in  Congress,  a  judge  on  the 
bench,  or  a  mere  "  fence-viewer  "  in  an  obscure  town,  to 
render  equal  justice  to  all.  To  favor  one  person,  or  class  oi 
persons,  at  the  expense  of  another  and  for  the  sake  of  personal 
gain,  promised  or  received,  is  to  accept  a  bribe  ;  and  to  accept 


Eleven  Xhe  Right  of  the  State  to  Honest  Service  61 

a  bribe  in  any  form  whatever — money  or  influence— is  a  be- 
trayal of  trust  by  a  public  servant.  For  a  man  who  has  been 
elected  to  a  high  and  responsible  othce  to  turn  out  faithful 
and  capable  subordinates  in  order  to  make  places  for  friends 
and  supporters  who  may  be  far  less  capable  is  not  the  kind  of 
honest  service  which  city  or  state  has  the  right  to  expect. 
The  same  principle  holds  true  in  all  private  business,  and  in  all 
relations  between  man  and  man.  To  use  one's  position  for 
one's  own  gain  by  giving  unjust  advantages  to  another,  even 
though  he  be  a  poor  man  or  a  personal  friend,  is  not  merelv 
to  be  dishonorable,  but  to  be  guilty  of  a  peculiarly  mean  dis- 
honesty. 

EXPLANATION  OF  SCRIPTURE  PASSAGES. 
Ex.  23:3.     Neither  shalt  thou  favor  a  poor  man  in  his  cause; 

That  is,  favor  him  unfairly,  just  because  he  is  poor.  Ex.  23:6. 
Thou  shalt  not  wrest  the  justice  due  to  thy  poor:  This  would 
be  the  opposite  kind  of  unfairness,  that  is,  favoritism  to  the 
rich,  for  personal  advantage.  Ex.  23:7.  Keep  thee  far  from 
a  false  matter:  Have  nothing  to  do  with  false  accusations. 
The  innocent  and  righteous  slay  thou  not:  That  is,  do  not  un- 
justly condemn  them  to  death.  For  I  will  not  justify  the 
wicked:  Or,  by  a  better  translation,  "  And  thou  shalt  not 
acquit  the  wicked."  Ex.  23:8.  Bribe  .  .  .  perverteth  the 
words  of  the  righteous:  Makes  the  judge  pay  no  attention  to 
their  side  of  the  case.  Lev.  19:15.  Ye  shall  do  no  unright- 
eousness in  judgment:  That  is,  in  the  legal  administration  of 
justice.  Deut.  16:19.  Thou  shalt  not  wrest  justice:  That 
is,  prevent  justice  from  being  done  in  courts.  Doth  blind  the 
eyes  of  the  wise:  Of  those  who  could  otherwise  decide  wisely. 
Prov.  17:23.  Bribe  out  of  the  bosom:  The  ancients  used  the 
loose  folds  of  their  garments,  as  we  do  our  pockets,  carrying 
in  them  money  and  small  articles.  Prov.  18:5.  To  respect 
the  person  of  the  wicked:  That  is,  to  show  partiality  to  the 
wicked.  Amos  5:12.  Turn  aside  the  needy  in  the  gate: 
Trials  were  conducted  in  the  open  space  between  the  inner 
and  outer  gates  of  the  city. 

THOUGHTS  FROM  OTHER  SOURCES. 

Said  Phocian,  the  Athenian  g-eneral,  to  messoncrers  of  Alexander 
the  Great  who  had  been  sent,  with  flattering  messages,  to  bribe  him  to 
surrender  his  army  :  "If  Alexander  really  esteems  me,  let  him  leave 
me  my  honesty." 


62  ChrtsHan  Life  and  Condttct  ^e««*'" 

**  Better  to  die  ten  thousand  deaths 
Than  wound  my  honor." — Addison. 

*'  Four  things  belong  to  a  judge  :  to  hear  courteously,  to  answer 
wisely,  to  consider  soberly,  and  to  decide  impartially. — Socrates. 

"  Party  honesty  is  party  expediency." — Grovtv  Cleveland. 

DIRECTIONS  FOR  HOME  STUDY. 

(;^uestions  on  the  Lesson.  Before  writing  the  answers,  read  carefully 
all  the  Scripture  passages  referred  to  at  the  beginning  of  this  lesson. 

1.  What  officials  acted  as  judges  among  the  ancient  Hebrews? 
(Note  2.) 


2.  in  what  three  ways,  according  to  the  Hebrew  law,  was  a  judge  in 
danger  of  being  influenced  to  make  unfair  decisions?      (Ex.  23:  3,  6,  8.) 


3.  What  particular  forms  of  injustice  might  be  committed  through 
such  unfair  decisions?  (Ex.  23:7;  "  Explanation  of  Scripture  Pas- 
sages ";  Deut.  27:25;  Amos  5: 12.) 


4.   Put  into  twentieth  century  language,  if  you  can,  Prov.  17:23. 
(See  "  Explanation.") 


5.   What  persons  besides  judges,  according  to  modem  law,  can  be 
guilty  of  the  crime  of  bribery  ?     (Note  3.) 


6.   What  is  the  modem  law  regarding  those  who  give  or  offer  bribes  ? 


7.   How  may  the  person  be  punished  who  is  guilty  of  bribery  ? 


8.   Why  is  bribery  dishonorable  ?     (Note  ''i.) 


T^i"^  Conduct  and  Law  68 

9.  Do  you  consider  the  answer  of  the  base-ball  captain,  referred  to 
in  Note  1,  a  sufficient  defense  for  his  action?     Give  your  reasons. 


Note-book  Work.  Read  the  story  of  Naboth  (1  Ki.  21: 1-16). 
Write  a  brief  account  of  the  incident  in  your  note-book.  In  your 
account  suggest  two  possible  reasons  why  the  elders  of  Naboth 's  town 
complied  so  readily  with  Jezebel's  wishes. 


Lesson  12.    REVIEW  OF  LESSONS  1-11.     Conduct  and 

Law. 

Note  1.  Is  it  Ever  Right  to  Disobey  the  Law?  In  many 
cities  there  is  an  ordinance  requiring  automobiles  to  slow 
down  to  eight  miles  an  hour  within  city  limits.  A  certain 
man  is  very  skilful  in  driving  his  machine.  "  What's  the  use 
of  creeping  along  at  this  slow  pace?  "  he  says ;  "  I  can  go  half 
again  as  fast,  and  not  run  into  anybody."  So  he  frequently 
breaks  the  law.  Is  it  right  for  him  to  do  so?  For  help  in 
answering  this  question,  let  us  turn  back  to  the  preceding 
eleven  lessons,  and,  studying  them  as  a  whole,  see  if,  taken 
together,  they  do  not  have  something  to  say  about  the  im- 
portance of  obeying  laws. 

Note  2.     The  Benefits  which  have  Come  to  us  through  Laws. 

In  many  of  the  lessons  of  the  past  quarter,  we  have  studied 
the  reasons  which  led  to  the  enactment  of  various  laws. 
Looking  back  upon  them,  have  they  not  all  been  stepping- 
stones  by  which  humanity  has  climbed  out  of  barbarism  into 
Christian  civilization?  In  the  most  primitive  ages  there 
was  no  law,  except  the  command  of  the  father  or  patriarch 
(Lesson  7).  Those  were  ages  when  every  man's  hand  was 
against  his  neighbor;  when  bloodshed  and  cruelty  were 
everyday  affairs.  But  the  law  stepped  in  to  strengthen  the 
authority  of  the  father  (Ex.  21:15,  17),  thus  helping  to 
establish  order  within  the  family  or  clan.  Different  clans 
still  remained  almost  constantly  at  war  one  with  another. 
Injury  was  repaid  by  injury.  Even  accidental  homicides 
led  to  long  and  bloody  feuds.     So  the  law  again  stepped  in, 


64  Christian  Life  and  Conduct  ^^'^^'^ 

to  hold  private  vengeance  in  check,  for  the  benefit  of  the  whole 
community  (Lesson  1;  Ex.  21:12-14).  Little  by  little,  prop- 
erty also,  as  well  as  life,  was  protected  from  violence  and 
trickery ;  it  became  possible  for  men  to  labor  in  security  for 
themselves  and  others  (Lessons  2,  3;  Ex.  22:1-4;  Lev.  19: 
35-37).  In  time,  the  more  spiritual  needs  of  men  were  rec- 
ognized. Laborers  were  guaranteed  a  day  of  rest  and  op- 
portunity for  worship ;  religious  people  were  protected  from 
being  shocked  and  grieved  by  the  irreverent  speech  of  bad 
or  thoughtless  men  (Lessons  4,  6;  Ex.  20:7-11).  Among 
savage  tribes,  the  weak,  the  diseased,  and  the  aged  are  slain 
without  mercy ;  but  as  the  centuries  have  passed,  the  law  has 
more  and  more  intervened  to  protect  the  unprotected  (Les- 
sons 8,  9;  Deut.  25:.4;  27:18,  19).  Even  the  wrong-doer 
himself  finds  in  the  law  protection  from  injustice  (Lesson  10 ; 
Deut.  25:2,  3).  The  attainment  of  an  orderly  civilization 
through  these  laws  has  been  a  long  and  difficult  task.  It 
has  cost  blood  and  tears.  Moreover,  just  as  a  man  who  has 
spent  a  whole  day  climbing  the  Matterhorn  may  by  a  single 
false  step  slip  back  and  in  a  few  minutes  lose  all  that  he  had 
gained,  so,  although  it  has  taken  centuries  for  humanity 
to  climb  up  from  barbarism  into  civilization,  it  is  possible 
to  slip  back  again  in  a  very  short  time.  We  do  not  need  to 
look  back  to  the  French  Revolution  for  a  Reign  of  Terror. 
Any  resort  to  lynch  law  is  a  lapse  into  barbarism.  There 
are  some  kinds  of  wrong-doing  which  tend  more  than  others 
to  undermine  the  stability  of  the  state,  and  the  authority 
of  law  (Lessons  5,  11;  Lev.  19:11,  15).  But  to  violate  any 
law  is  to  remove  one  stone  from  the  walls  which  protect 
society  from  destruction  and  which  make  possible  the  life 
of  civilized  Christian  communities.  Civilization  is  still  far 
from  the  Christian  ideal.  Our  laws  are  imperfect  in  many 
ways.  Much  remains  for  future  generations  to  achieve, 
through  better  laws,  and,  more  important  still,  through 
training  every  member  of  the  community  to  be  loyal  to 
Christian  ideals. 

These  are  the  tasks  which  await  the  boys  and  girls  of  to-day. 
Let  us  remember,  however,  that  we  cannot  build  wisely  for 
the  future  except  on  the  achievements  of  the  past.  Even 
though  our  laws  are  as  yet  imperfect,  we  must  remember  how 
much  we  owe  to  them,  and  give  them  our  whole-hearted 
respect  and  obedience. 


1'weive  Conduct  and  Law  65 

THOUGHTS  FROM  OTHER  SOURCES. 

"  Without  law  there  can  be  no  true  hberty." 

*'  Om  human  laws  are  but  the  copies,  more  or  less  imperfect,  of  the 
eternal  laws,  so  far  as  we  can  read  them." — Froude. 

"  We  see  multitudes  obeying  in  opposition  to  their  strongest  pas- 
sions the  restraints  of  a  power  which  they  scarcely  perceive,  and  the 
crimes  of  a  single  individual  marked  and  punished  at  the  distance  of 
half  the  earth." — Emerson. 

DIRECTIONS  FOR  HOME  STUDY. 

Questions  on  the  Lesson. 

1.  How  was  private  vengeance  restricted  by  the  Hebrew  law? 
(Ex,  21:12-14.) 


2.  Has  a  man  a  right  to  do  whatever  he  pleases  with  his  own  prop- 
erty?    (Lesson  2,  Note  4.) 


3.  What  were  some  forms  of  cheating  practised  among  the  Hebrews.'' 
(Lev.  19:35-37.) 


4.  How  did  the  Hebrew  Sabbath  originate?     (Lesson  4,  Note  2.) 


5.  What  was  the  punishment  for  false  witness  in  the  Hebrew  law? 
(Deut.  19:16-21.) 


6.  How  did  Jesus  show  a  spirit  of  reverence?     (Mt.  6:9;  21: 12,  13  ) 


7.  What  are  the  duties  of  children  to  parents,  according  to  modem 
law'     (Lesson  7,  Note  3.) 


66  Christian  Life  and  Conduct 

8.  How  did  the  Hebrew  law  provide  that  even  animals  should  share 
in  the  joy  of  the  harvest?     (Deut.  25:4.) 


9.  What  classes  of  persons  were  protected  from  oppression  by  the 
Hebrew  laws?     (Ex.  21:2-6;  22:21-25;  Lev.  19:9,  10,  13,  14.) 


10.  Name  two  ways  in  which  modem  legal  penalties  have  become 
more  just.     (Lesson  10,  Note  3.) 


11.  Why  is  bribery  dishonorable?     (Lesson  11,  Note  4.) 


Note-book  Work,  A  policeman  is  chasing  a  thief.  As  the  thief 
sees  his  pursuer  approaching  he  darts  down  a  side  street  and  across 
a  frozen  river.  The  policeman,  attempting  to  follow,  breaks  through 
the  ice  and  is  in  danger  of  drowning,  but  the  thief  turns  back  and  saves 
his  life.  Should  the  officer  now  arrest  the  thief,  or,  in  gratitude, 
allow  him  to  escape  ?     Give  reasons. 

Or,  write  a  statement  about  the  observance  of  law  in  your  own 
town.  Are  there  any  laws  which  are  frequently  broken?  In  what 
ways  might  a  more  conscientious  respect  for  law  be  shown? 


PART  II 

Living  According  to  the  Standards  of  the  Sages 
AND  Prophets 


INTRODUCTION. 

"Were  a  man  to  boast  of  his  goodness  because  he  had  never  been  in 
jail,  we  should  laugh  at  him.  Merely  to  live  up  to  the  requirements 
of  the  laws  of  the  state  is  not  in  itself  a  high  ideal.  Many  things  are 
\\T-ong  which  are  not  illegal.  Laziness,  for  example,  is  not  illegal. 
Yet  it  is  a  very  serious  defect  in  a  man's  character.  Many  of  the  highest 
and  worthiest  ideals  of  what  a  truly  good  man  should  be  have  come 
down  to  us  from  the  wise  men,  or  "  sages,"  and  the  prophets  of  ancient 
Israel. 

Before  we  begin  our  study  of  their  teachings,  let  us  go  back  in  imagi- 
nation for  a  moment  to  ancient  Jerusalem,  and  see  how  those  great 
teachers  went  about  their  work.  We  enter  the  city,  we  see  many 
people  hurrying  along  the  streets  in  the  same  direction.  Following 
the  crowd,  we  find  ourselves  in  the  temple  court  where  the  sacrifices 
are  offered.  A  man  stands  on  the  steps  of  the  temple,  beside  the 
macsive  pillars,  and  addresses  the  throng  gathered  there  under  the 
open  sky.  As  his  rhythmic  sentences  fall  upon  their  ears,  the  people 
are  hushed;  after  a  time  tears  gather  in  many  eyes;  others  tremble 
with  fear  or  rage.  Even  though  we  cannot  understand  the  language, 
about  one  thing  there  is  no  doubt — the  man  is  an  orator.  He  appeals 
to  the  intellect,  he  stirs  the  emotions.  No  one  in  the  audience  can 
avoid  being  influenced  by  him.  YJ'e  have  been  listening  to  one  of 
the  great  prophets. 

After  the  sermon  is  finished  we  return  by  the  way  along  which  we 
came.  As  we  pass  through  the  open  square  in  front  of  the  city  gate, 
we  notice  an  aged  man  seated  on  the  ground,  and,  gathered  respect- 
fully around  him  in  a  half  circle,  a  little  group  of  listeners.  He  is  a 
wise  man,  we  are  told;  and  those  listeners  are  his  pupils.  This  was 
always  the  method  which  the  wise  men  followed.  They  were  not 
orators,  speaking  to  great  crowds,  but  teachers  instructing  individuals 
or  small  groups.  In  many  ways  the  prophets  correspond  to  our 
preachers,  and  the  wise  men  to  our  school-teachers. 

The  books  of  Job,  Proverbs,  and  Ecclesiastes  came  down  to  us  from 
the  wise  men.  The  first  seven  lessons  of  this  quarter  are  based  chiefly 
on  the  Book  of  Proverbs.  The  following  four  lessons  present  certain 
of  the  most  inspiring  teachings  of  the  prophets. 

67 


68  Christian  Life  and  Conduct  Luaon 

Lesson   13.     NEGLIGENCE  AND  ITS  RESULTS.     Ancient 
Precepts  Inculcating  Carefulness. 

Scripture  Lesson,  Ex.  21:28-36;  22:5,  6;  Prov.  26:6;  27:23-27. 

Note  1.  The  Serious  Harm  of  Mere  Negligence.  A  team 
carrying  a  load  of  laboring  men  to  their  daily  work  had  to 
cross  an  electric  railway  where  a  car  usually  passed  before 
the  train  reached  the  crossing.  One  morning  the  car  was 
a  little  late,  and  the  motor-man  was  anxious  to  make  up  lost 
time.  Seeing  no  passengers  at  the  waiting-room  where  the 
rules  of  the  road  required  him  to  stop  before  reaching  the 
crossing,  he  neglected  to  do  so,  and  neglected  also  to  sound 
the  warning  whistle  and  the  bell  as  he  rushed  on.  At  the 
same  time  the  driver  of  the  team,  supposing  that  the  car 
had  passed,  and  hearing  no  Vaming  signal,  neglected  looking 
out  for  the  car.  The  result  was  a  disastrous  collision,  in 
which  the  driver  lost  his  life,  and  several  passengers  were 
badly  injured.  Our  study  this  week  will  show  the  serious 
harm  of  negligence,  and  the  great  value  of  carefulness  and 
good  order. 

Note  2.     Old  Testament  Provisions  regarding  Negligence. 

In  very  early  times,  the  Hebrews  lived  as  shepherds  and 
cattle-herders  on  the  plains  east  of  the  Jordan.  They  lived 
in  villages  of  tents,  and  pastured  their  flocks  and  herds  on 
the  open  range.  They  had  small  walled-in  enclosures,  like 
our  western  corrals,  where  they  could  shut  up  their  animals. 
But  there  were  no  large  fields  surrounded  by  fences.  In 
such  a  community,  vicious  oxen  running  loose  would  naturally 
be  a  frequent  source  of  danger  to  property  and  life.  It  wa? 
important  that  each  owner  should  be  on  the  watch  for  signs 
of  a  vicious  disposition  among  the  oxen  in  his  herd,  and  keep 
such  animals  shut  up  in  the  pen,  to  be  fattened  for  the  butcher. 
The  Hebrews,  therefore,  provided  for  the  severe  punishment 
of  a  cattle-owner  who  through  negligence  in  this  matter 
caused  another's  death,  or  even  the  death  of  an  animal. 

Another  form  of  carelessness  in  those  early  days  was  the 
leaving  of  cisterns  uncovered.  At  certain  seasons  of  the  year 
in  Palestine  there  is  no  rain  for  many  months ;  and  the  wells, 
springs  and  brooks  all  run  dry.  In  ancient  times,  therefore, 
many  cisterns  or  pits  were  dug  in  the  fields,  in  which  the 
rain  water  was  stored  up  during  the  rainy  season,  for  the 


Thirteen  Negligence  and  its  Results  69 

use  of  the  cattle,  when  the  rains  ceased.  These  cisterns 
were  covered  with  flat  stones.  The  last  shepherd,  or  herder, 
to  water  his  animals  at  night  was  expected  to  put  back  the 
cover.  Sometimes  the  man  forgot  to  do  so,  and  a  sheep  or 
cow  might  easily  fall  in,  and  break  its  neck  or  be  drowned. 
If  such  an  accident  happened,  the  careless  person  was  made 
to  pay  for  the  loss. 

After  the  Hebrews  crossed  the  Jordan  into  western  Canaan, 
they  gradually  took  up  a  settled  agricultural  life,  and  raised 
wheat  and  barley,  grapes  and  olives,  as  well  as  sheep  and 
cattle.  They  did  not  live  in  isolated  farm  houses,  as  is  the 
custom  of  farmers  in  the  United  States,  but  in  small  villages. 
Every  morning  they  went  out  "  to  the  fields,"  each  man 
going  to  his  own  farm.  By  living  in  this  way,  they  protected 
themselves  the  better  from  robbers  and  wild  beasts;  but 
on  the  other  hand,  if  cattle  broke  into  a  grain  field  in  the 
evening,  the  owner  was  not  on  the  spot  to  protect  his  property, 
and  much  damage  might  be  done  before  morning.  It  was 
therefore  even  more  important  then  than  now  to  keep  cattle 
shut  up.  Hedges  of  thorns  were  indeed  built  around  the 
fields,  and  this  helped  to  keep  out  intruders.  But  even  now, 
with  barbed  wire  fences,  it  is  hard  to  keep  a  hungry  cow  out 
of  a  clover  field.  And  in  ancient  Israel,  the  thorn  hedges 
frequently  proved  insufficient.  Hence  in  Old  Testament 
times  the  cattle  owner  had  to  see  to  it  that  his  cattle  were 
kept  from  doing  mischief. 

Another  source  of  damage  to  Hebrew  farmers  was  fire. 
After  the  harvest  it  was  customary  to  burn  the  weeds.  The 
harvest  always  occurred  several  weeks  after  the  dry  season 
had  begun;  and  the  stubble  and  the  thorn  hedges  were  like 
tinder  to  the  spark.  It  was  of  course  easy  to  burn  weeds 
at  this  time,  but  it  was  also  necessary  to  use  great  care,  lest 
the  fire  get  beyond  control.  Any  person  who  neglected  doing 
^his  was  required  to  pay  for  the  damage  caused  by  his  care- 
lesoness. 

Note  3.    Modern  Provisions  regarding  Negligence.     Modem 

society  regards  many  kinds  of  negligence  as  criminal.  When 
a  railroad  employee  fails  to  use  reasonable  care  in  the  per- 
formance of  his  duty,  and  thus  through  his  neglect  causes 
death,  he  may  be  punished  for  manslaughter.  To  allow  a 
vicious  beast,  as  an  ox,  to  run  at  large,  and  thus  through 


70  Christian  Life  anc  Conduct  ^^^^^ 

negligence  to  cause  death,  is,  among  its  as  well  as  among  the 
ancient  Hebrews,  a  "  very  great  misdemeanor." 

In  certain  other  less  serious  cases  of  negligence,  those  who 
have  been  injured  in  person  or  property  may  bring  suit  and 
recover  damages ;  although  in  such  cases  the  court  does  not 
regard  the  negligence  as  criminal,  it  nevertheless  compels  the 
negligent  man  to  pay  over  money  to  the  person  or  persons  in- 
jured, in  order  to  make  good,  so  far  as  possible,  the  damage 
which  he  has  caused.  Except  in  certain  western  states  where 
the  open  range  is  still  used  for  pasture,  the  responsibility  for 
keeping  cattle  out  of  the  fields  rests  upon  the  cattle-owner. 
In  case  they  injure  another  man's  crops,  he  must  pay  damages. 
So  also  modern  society  seeks  to  protect  property  from  damage 
from  fire  by  forbidding  the  building  of  fires  within  specified 
limits,  as  in  the  streets  of  a  thickly  populated  neighborhood ; 
or  in  requiring  hunters  and  campers  to  use  all  possible  care 
in  preventing  the  spreading  of  such  fires  as  they  may  have 
to  build. 

Note  4.     What  the  Hebrew  Sages  Thought  about  Negligence. 

These  wise  men  recognized  that  the  negligent,  careless  person 
is  a  dangerous  member  of  society.  The  word  "  fool  "  in 
our  Scripture  lesson  (Prov.  26:6)  appears  to  be  used  as  a 
description  of  that  kind  of  person — energetic  enough,  perhaps, 
but  careless.  He  who  sends  a  message  by  such  a  person,  or, 
we  might  well  add,  trusts  him  in  any  responsible  position, 
"  drinketh  in  damage,"  that  is,  invites  failure  and  harm. 

The  sages  also  show  that  neghgence  is  ruinous  to  one's 
own  interests.  The  richest  man  in  the  world,  even  though 
he  be  a  king,  will  sooner  or  later,  if  he  is  neghgent,  come  to 
poverty.  The  successful  farmer  must  take  care  that  his 
hay  is  mowed,  his  cattle  pastured,  his  sheep  sheared,  and  his 
mutton  marketed  at  the  proper  time,  and  in  the  proper  way 
(Prov.  27:  23-27).  It  is  only  the  man  who  looks  out  for  these . 
details  who  will  be  able  to  support  himself  and  those  who 
depend  upon  him. 

Note  5.  The  Real  Essence  of  Negligence.  To  be  careful 
simply  means  to  have  a  purpose  and  to  make  all  things  serve 
our  purpose.  Neghgence,  carelessness,  disorder,  means  lack 
of  purpose.  The  careless  man  does  not  mean  to  injure  his 
neighbor.     But  society  insists  that  he  must  have  a  positive 


Thirteen  Negligence  and  its  Results  71 

purpose  to  keep  from  injuring  his  neighbor.  "  Oh,  I  forgot," 
the  careless  man  may  say,  and  think  that  is  a  sufficient  excuse. 
But  again  society  says,  "  You  should  have  taken  pains  not 
to  forget.  You  could  have  remembered,  if  you  had  formed 
a  resolute  purpose  to  remember."  The  careless  man  simply 
"  lets  things  slide  " — his  moments  and  his  hours,  and  the 
clothes  in  his  bureau  and  closet.  That  is  what  people  mean 
when  they  say  he  is  unpunctual  and  disorderly.  It  is  this 
fundamental  lack  of  purpose  which  makes  him  a  useless 
and  even  dangerous  member  of  society. 

In  reading  the  reports  sent  in  by  the  Japanese  officers 
during  the  war  with  Russia,  says  George  Kennan,  any  one 
would  be  struck  by  their  frequent  use  of  the  phrase,  "  as 
prearranged."  Almost  all  their  successful  strategies  were 
carried  out  ''  as  prearranged."  Throughout  the  war,  every 
one,  from  commander-in-chief  down  to  each  private  soldier, 
knew  beforehand  exactly  what  to  do  in  every  emergency. 
The  Russians,  no  less  brave,  trusted  more  to  luck ;  they  were 
**  slack  ";  too  often  they  merely  "  guessed  it  would  be  all 
right."  The  result  was  that  Port  Arthur  was  captured, 
the  Russian  fleets  were  sunk,  and  the  Russian  armies  hope- 
lessly defeated,  as  prearranged — by  the  Japanese. 

EXPLANATION  OF  SCRIPTURE  PASSAGES. 
Ex.  21:28.  Its  flesh  shall  not  be  eaten:  The  ox  that  had 
killed  a  human  being  was  regarded  as  **  unclean."  Ex.  21:30, 
If  there  be  laid  on  him  a  ransom:  If  the  relatives  of  the  slain 
person  are  willing  to  accept  money  from  the  negligent  man, 
instead  of  insisting  on  his  death.  Ex.  21:31.  Whether  it 
have  gored  a  son,  or  have  gored  a  daughter:  The  same  rule 
was  applicable  if  it  were  only  a  child  that  was  killed.  The 
relatives  might  not  always,  however,  demand  so  large  a 
ransom.  Ex.  21:35.  The  dead  also  they  shall  divide:  If  the 
owner  of  the  living  ox  did  not  know  that  it  was  vicious,  then 
the  accident  was  unavoidable,  and  the  two  owners  were  to 
share  the  loss  equally  between  them.  Ex.  21:36.  He  shall 
surely  pay  ox  for  ox:  He  shall  give  a  living  ox  in  place  of  the 
one  his  own  ox  has  killed.  Ex.  22:5.  If  a  man  shall  cause 
a  field  or  vineyard  to  be  eaten:  That  is,  by  carelessly  allowing 
his  cattle  to  run  at  large.  Ex.  22:6.  Catch  in  thorns:  The 
thorn  hedges;  in  the  dry  season,  the  fire  could  easily  spread 
over   a   large    territory,    running   along   the    hedges.     Prov. 


72  Christian  Life  and  Conduct  Lesson 

26:6.  Cutteth  off  his  own  feet:  One  might  as  well  be  without 
legs,  as  try  to  send  meSvSages  through  heedless  fools.  Prov. 
27:25.  The  hay  is  carried:  That  is,  should  be  harvested  at 
a  certain  time.  The  tender  grass  showeth  itself:  Then  is  the 
tim^e  to  turn  the  cattle  out  to  pasture.  The  sense  of  the 
whole  passage  is  that  all  these  details  must  be  carefully 
looked  after.  Prov.  27:27.  Goats*  milk:  In  most  parts  of 
Palestine  goats'  milk,  eggs  and  bread  are  the  chief  articles  of 
food, 

THOUGHTS  FROM  OTHER  SOURCES. 

"  For  the  world  was  built  in  order, 
And  the  atoms  march  in  tune." — Emerson, 

"  Order  is  heaven's  first  law." — Pope. 

"  Dost  thou  love  life,  then  do  not  squander  time,  for  that  is  the  stufi' 
life  is  made  of." — Franklin. 

"  Lord  God  of  hosts,  be  with  us  yet, 
Lest  we  forget,  lest  we  forget." — Kipling. 

DIRECTIONS  FOR  HOME  STUDY. 

Questions  on  the  Lesson.       Before  writing  the  answers,  read  ah  the 
Scripture  passages  referred  to  at  the  beginning  of  this  lesson. 

1 .  Suppose  a  human  being  were  killed  by  a  vicious  ox,  in  the  early- 
days  of  Israel,  what  was  to  be  done  in  the  following  cases  (Ex.21: 
28-32)  : 
(a)   If  the  ox  had  never  before  shown  signs  of  an  ugly  disposition? 


(6)   If  the  owner  knew  the  ox  was  dangerous,  and  the  person  killed 
was  a  free  Hebrew,  man,  woman,  or  child  ? 


{c)   If  the  owner  knew  that  the  ox  was  dangerous,  and  the   person 
killed  was  a  slave? 


2.  Suppose  a  man  left  a  pit  or  cistern  uncovered,  and  another  man's 
domestic  animal  fell  in,  how  was  the  negligent  man  punished? 


3.   Suppose  one  ox  should  kill  another,  what  was  done  in  the  fol- 
lowing two  cases: 

(a)  The  owner  of  the  live  ox  knew  that  it  was  vicious.     (Ex.  22:35.) 

(b)  The  owner  did  not  know  that  it  was  vicious-    (Ex.  2.1:35.) 


^riirteen  Negligence  and  its  Results  73 

4.  After  the  Hebrews  began  to  till  the  soil,  and  have  settled  farms, 
what  was  required  of  a  man  who  owned  cattle?     (Ex.  22:  5.) 


5.  If  a  Hebrew  farmer  should  find  that  his  grain  field  had  caught 
fire,  and  been  destroyed  through  another  man's  carelessness,  how 
fully  was  the  careless  man  required  to  make  up  this  loss?  (Ex. 
22:5,  6;  note  especially  the  last  part  of  vs.  5,  which  applies  also  to 
vs.  6.) 


6.  How  are  men  dealt  with  to-day 
(a)   Who  allow  vicious  animals  to  run  at  large?     (Note  3.) 


(b)  Who  carelessly  start  a  fhs,  which  spreads  and  destroys  other  per 
sons'  property? 


7.  What  is  the  most  important  quality  in  a  farmer,  according  to 
the  Hebrew  wise  man,  if  he  is  to  be  successful?     (Prov.  27:23-27 
Note  5.) 


8.  What  is  the  real  nature  of  negligence?     (Note  5.) 


9.  A  certain  person  is  very  forgetful,  and  for  this  reason  often 
causes  much  annoyance  to  his  friends.  Can  you  think  of  ways  by 
which  he  might  cure  himself? 


10.  There  is  a  certain  man  who  is  very  busy,  yet  he  always  seems 
to  have  time  to  attend  to  "  the  extras."  What  do  you  think  the. 
explanation  is? 


Note-book  Work.  Do  you  know  any  one  who  has  no  purpose  in 
life,  who  is  always  saying,  "  By-and-by,"  "  Pretty  soon,"  "  What's 
the  use  in  being  so  particular?  "  "  That's  well  enough,  I  guess  "? 
Write  a  brief  imaginary  description  of  a  day  in  such  a  person's  life. 
How  would  the  morning  probably  be  spent?  What  would  happen  in 
ihe  afternoon?    What,  in  the  evening? 


74  Christian  Life  and  Conduct  Lesson 

Lesson   14.     THE    CULTIVAIION    OF   HABITS.     How 
they  Make  for  Strength  or  Weakness. 

Scripture   Lesson,  Prov.  22:6;    27:22;    Lu.  4:16;    Gal.   6:7-9;    Rev. 

22:10,  11. 

Note  1.  The  "  Force  of  Habit."  A  certain  young  man, 
after  studying  one  year  at  Cornell,  completed  his  college 
course  at  Yale.  He  was  a  powerful  athlete,  and  at  both 
colleges  he  had  a  place  on  the  crew.  In  his  senior  year  at 
Yale,  he  was  made  stroke  oar  on  the  "  varsity  "  eight.  When 
the  day  came  for  the  annual  boat  race  between  Yale  and 
Harvard,  every  one  was  looking  forward  to  a  close  race. 
And  a  close  race  it  was  for  the  first  three  miles.  But  on  the 
last  quarter  of  the  fourth  mile,  something  went  wrong  in 
the  Yale  boat ;  the  oarsmen  were  confused  in  their  movements. 
Harvard  shot  ahead  and  easily  won  the  race.  "  What  was 
the  matter  with  Yale?  "  was  the  question  on  everybody's 
lips.  And  the  answer  was  that  Yale's  stroke  oar  had  taken 
his  first  lessons  in  rowing  at  Cornell,  where  the  style  of  rowing 
is  different,  and  when  he  changed  his  college,  he  had  to  change 
his  habits  of  rowing  at  the  same  time.  But  the  old  habit 
had  not  been  entirely  uprooted. 

The  phrase  "  force  of  habit  "  has  become  proverbial. 
But  there  are  many  people  who  do  not  fully  realize  the  sig- 
nificance of  it,  and  as  a  result  make  failures  which  might 
otherwise  have  been  avoided.  The  object  of  this  lesson  is 
to  bring  to  the  students'  attention  some  facts  regarding 
habits,  and  thus  help  them  to  be  successful  in  the  battle  of 
Hfe. 

Note  2.  What  the  Bible  Teaches  about  Habits.  The  word 
"  habit  "  does  not  occur  in  our  English  Bible.  The  idea, 
however,  appears  in  many  passages.  The  advice  in  Prov. 
22:6  was  intended  for  parents.  But  it  is  worthy  of  careful 
study  on  the  part  of  young  people  also,  for  the  truth  to 
which  it  calls  attention  is  most  important,  namely,  that  in 
childhood  and  youth  character  is  easily  molded,  whereas 
the  character  of  grown  men  and  women  is  seldom  greatly 
changed.  This  is  just  another  way  of  saying  that  habits 
are  easily  formed  in  youth,  and  that  the  habits  thus  formed 
are  likely  to  be  permanent.  If  these  habits  are  of  the  right 
kind,  a  lifetime  of  worthy  conduct  is  made  almost  certain. 


Fourteen  The  Cultivation  of  Habits  75 

This  same  truth  is  expressed  in  Prov.  27:22,  through  a 
figure  of  speech  taken  from  the  kitchen.  A  favorite  dish 
in  Syria  to-day,  called  kibbeh,  is  made  by  pounding  together 
in  a  mortar  boiled  wheat  and  mutton.  The  longer  it  is 
pounded  the  better,  especially  if  the  meat  is  naturally  tough. 
Tt  is  thought  that  some  such  process  was  in  the  mind  of  the 
author  of  this  proverb,  and  that  his  meaning  was  something 
as  follows:  You  can  improve  tough  mutton  by  pounding 
it  in  a  mortar,  but  a  thoroughly  bad  man  can  seldcm  be  re- 
formed, even  through  the  severest  discipline.  Whatever  the 
figure  of  speech  may  be,  the  general  sense  is  plain :  it  is  almost 
impossible  to  uproot  bad  habits  when  they  are  once  thoroughly 
fixed. 

The  reference  in  Lu.  4:16  to  our  Lord's  custom  of  going 
to  the  synagogue  shows  that  Jesus  Christ  was  influenced  by 
habits.  From  earliest  childhood  He  had  been  accustomed 
to  go  to  the  synagogue  every  Sabb5,th.  In  His  mature  years. 
He  continued  this  habit  as  a  matter  of  course.  There  are 
some  people  nowadays  who  have  a  fresh  struggle  with  the 
question  each  Sunday  morning,  "  Shall  I,  or  shall  I  not,  go 
to  church?  "  If  the  weather  is  a  trifle  cloudy,  or  warm,  or 
cold  the  problem  is  all  the  harder.  Jesus  was  spared  all  this 
struggle  from  week  to  week,  simply  because  going  to  the 
synagogue  was  His  "  custom."  He  did  not  have  to  exert 
any  will  power  in  the  matter.  In  fact,  it  doubtless  would 
have  required  an  effort  of  will  to  stay  away. 

In  Gal.  6:7-9  Paul  was  not  referring  specifically  to  the 
law  of  habit,  but  to  the  general  law  that  every  action  leads 
inevitably  to  certain  consequences.  Sin  brings  its  own 
punishment.  Goodness  brings  its  own  reward.  "  Whatso- 
ever a  man  soweth,  that  shall  he  also  reap."  A  habit  is  a 
seed  from  which  we  reap  an  important  crop  of  consequences. 
And  these  consequences,  as  Paul  says,  are  absolutely  certain. 
"  God  is  not  mocked." 

"  'Tis  no  avail  to  bargain,  sneer  and  nod, 
And  shrug  the  shoulder  for  reply  to  God." 

The  laws  of  nature,  which  are  the  laws  of  God,  are  never 
revoked  nor  suspended.  When  they  are  violated,  they  lead 
to  penalties,  with  the  certainty  of  the  tides  and  the  sunrise. 
In  the  last  chapter  of  the  Book  of  Revelation,  the  Bible 
closes  with  a  vision  of  the  life  to  come.     And  in  that  life, 


76  •  Christian  Life  and  Conduct  ^«««^" 

according  to  the  seer,  the  same  law  will  hold  good  which  the 
ancient  wise  man  iloticed  in  our  everyday  experience,  in  this 
world.  "  He  that  is  unrighteous,  let  him  do  unrighteousness 
still."  If  a  man  has  formed  righteous  habits  in  this  world, 
he  will  continue  a  righteous  man  in  the  next.  If  he  is  a 
thoroughly  bad  man  here,  he  will  be  a  thoroughly  bad  man 
there. 

Note  3.  What  is  Meant  by  the  Law  of  Habit?  The  teach- 
..igs  of  the  Bible  regarding  habit  have  been  confirmed  and 
llust rated  in  a  remarkable  manner  by  science.  The  law 
if  habit  is  universal.  Not  only  persons  but  things  are  sub- 
iect  to  it.  "  Every  one  knows  how  a  garment,  after  having 
oeen  worn  a  certain  time,  clings  to  the  shape  of  the  body 
better  than  when  it  was  new;  there  has  been  a  change  in 
the  tissue,  and  this  change  is  a  mere  habit  of  cohesion.  A 
lock  works  better  after  h§,ving  been  used  some  time ;  at  the 
outset  more  force  was  required  to  overcome  certain  rough- 
ness in  the  mechanism.  It  costs  less  trouble  to  fold  a  paper 
when  it  has  been  folded  already.  This  saving  of  trouble  is 
due  to  the  essential  nature  of  habit,  which  brings  it  about 
that,  to  reproduce  the  effect,  a  less  amount  of  the  outward 
cause  is  required.  The  tone  of  a  violin  improves  by  use  in 
the  hands  of  an  able  artist,  because  the  fibres  of  the  wood 
at  last  contract  habits  of  vibration  conformed  to  harmonic 
relations.  This  is  what  gives  such  inestimable  value  to  in- 
struments that  have  belonged  to  great  masters.  Water,  in 
flowing,  hollows  out  for  itself  a  channel,  which  grows  broader 
and  deeper;  and,  after  having  ceased  to  flow,  it  resumes, 
when  it  flows  again,  the  path  traced  by  itself  before."  Just 
so,  every  time  we  act,  or  think,  in  a  certain  way,  a  tiny  path- 
way is  made  in  the  brain.  It  becomes  easier  and  easier  to 
perform  that  action,  until  finally  we  do  not  even  have  to 
jhink  about  it.  In  learning  to  ride  a  bicycle,  for  example, 
)r  to  play  the  piano,  it  is  very  diffictilt  at  first  to  make  the 
lecessary  movements ;  and  we  have  to  concentrate  our  whole 
.'attention  upon  our  task.  But  the  time  comes  when  Ave  can 
ride  the  bicycle  or  play  the  piano,  and  at  the  same  time  be 
thinking  almost  wholly  of  something  else. 

Furthermore,  as  the  wise  men  pointed  out,  it  is  easier  to 
form  new  habits  in  youth  than  in  later  ^rears.  It  i^  very  hard 
for  a  man  in  middle  life  to  learn  to  ride  the  bicvcle,  or  to 


Fourteen  jj^q  Cultivation  of  Habits  77 

skate,  or  to  play  a  new  instrument.  And  it  is  even  harder 
for  him  to  break  up  old  habits  than  it  is  to  form  new  ones. 
He  can  no  more  escape  from  his  old  habits,  says  Professor 
James,  than  his  coat  sleeve  can  fall  into  a  new  set  of  folds. 
**  In  most  of  us,  by  the  age  of  thirty,  the  character  has  set 
like  plaster,  and  will  never  soften  again."  Indeed,  the 
period  before  twenty  is  the  time  when  the  most  important 
habits  are  fixed  for  life.  '*  Hardly  ever  is  a  language  learned 
after  twenty  spoken  without  a  foreign  accent."  "  Hardly 
ever  can  a  youth  unlearn  the  vices  of  speech  bred  in  him 
before  twenty.  Hardly  ever,  indeed,  no  matter  how  much 
money  there  be  in  his  pocket,  can  he  even  learn  to  dress  like 
a  gentleman  born,  ilie  merchants  offer  their  wares  as  eagerly 
to  him  as  to  the  veriest  *  swell,'  but  he  simply  cannot  buy 
the  right  things.  An  invisible  law,  as  strong  as  gravitation, 
keeps  him  within  his  orbit,  arrayed  this  year  as  he  was  the 
last,  and  how  his  better  bred  acquaintances  contrive  to  get 
the  things  they  wear  will  be  a  mystery  to  him  to  his  dying 
day." — James, 

Note  4.     The  Application  of  this  Truth  to  our  Lives.     Many 

applications  will  occur  to  the  student  himself,  as  he  ponders 
this  lesson.  The  two  main  applications  have  been  set  forth 
by  Professor  James  as  the  conclusion  of  his  famous  chapter 
on   "  Habit." 

**  Could  the  young  but  realize  how  soon  they  will  become 
mere  walking  bundles  of  habits,  they  would  give  more  heed 
to  their  conduct  while  in  the  plastic  state.  We  are  spinning 
our  own  fates,  good  or  evil,  and  never  to  be  undone.  Every 
smallest  stroke  of  virtue  or  of  vice  leaves  its  never  so  little 
scar.  The  drunken  Rip  Van  Winkle,  in  Jefferson's  play, 
excuses  himself  for  every  fresh  dereliction  by  saying,  *  I 
won't  count  this  time  !  '  Well !  he  may  not  count  it,  and  a 
kind  heaven  may  not  count  it;  but  it  is  being  counted  none 
the  less.  Down  among  his  nerve-cells  and  fibres  the  molecules 
are  counting  it,  registering  and  storing  it  up  to  be  used  against 
him  when  the  next  temptation  comes.  Nothing  we  ever  do 
is,  in  strict  scientific  literalness,  wiped  out.  Of  course,  this 
has  its  good  side  as  well  as  its  bad  one.  As  we  become  per- 
manent drunkards  by  so  many  separate  drinks,  so  we  become 
saints  in  the  moral,  and  authorities  and  experts  in  the  prac- 
tical and  scientific  spheres,  by  so  many  separate  acts  and 


78  Christian  Life  and  Conduct  ^^^^^^ 

hours  of  work.  Let  no  youth  have  any  anxiety  about  the 
upshot  of  his  education,  whatever  the  line  of  it  may  be.  If 
he  keep  faithfully  busy  each  hour  of  the  working-day,  he 
may  safely  leave  the  final  result  to  itself.  He  can  with 
perfect  certainty  count  on  waking  up  some  fine  morning,  to 
find  himself  one  of  the  competent  ones  of  his  generation, 
in  whatever  pursuit  he  may  have  singled  out.  Silently, 
between  all  the  details  qS.  his  business,  the  power  of  judging 
in  all  that  class  of  matter  will  have  built  itself  up  within  him 
as  a  possession  that  will  never  pass  away.  Young  people 
should  know  this  truth  in  advance.  The  ignorance  of  it 
has  probably  engendered  more  discouragement  and  faint- 
heartedness in  youths  embarking  on  arduous  careers  than 
all  other  causes  put  together." 

EXPLANATION  OF  SCRIPTURE  PASSAGES. 
Prov.  27:22.  Bray  a  fool:  That  is,  pound  him.  The  word 
"  fool  "  as  used  in  Proverbs,  usually  means  a  person  who 
is  bad  morally.  Gal.  6:8.  He  that  soweth  unto  his  own 
flesh:  The  crop  depends  on  the  field,  as  well  as  upon  the  seed. 
"  Unto  "  or  "  into  his  own  flesh,"  and  **  unto  the  Spirit  " 
represents  two  kinds  of  fields,  in  Paul's  thought.  One's 
own  flesh  means  selfish  desires.  The  Spirit  represents  the 
promptings  of  the  voice  of  God  in  our  hearts. 

THOUGHTS  FROM  OTHER  SOURCES. 

"  Sow  a  thought,  and  reap  an  act; 
Sow  an  act,  and  reap  a  habit ; 
Sow  a  habit,  and  reap  a  character ; 
Sow  a  character,  and  reap  a  destiny." 

"  Habit  a  second  nature!  Habit  is  ten  times  nature." — Duke  of 
Wellington. 

"  Since  custom  is  the  principal  magistrate  of  man's  life,  let  man 
by  all  means  endeavor  to  obtain  good  customs." — Bacon. 

"  The  Moving  Finger  writes,  and,  having  writ, 
Moves  on ;  nor  all  your  Piety  nor  Wit 
Shall  lure  it  back  to  cancel  half  a  Line, 
Nor  all  your  Tears  wash  out  a  Word  of  it." 

—  Omar  Khayyam. 

DIRECTIONS  FOR  HOME  STUDY. 

Questions  on  the  Lesson.  Before  attempting  to  answer  these  ques- 
tions, read  carefully  all  the  Scripture  passages  referred  to  at  the  be- 
ginning of  the  lesson. 


Fourteen  The  Cultivation  of  Habits  79 

1.  Give  illustrations  from  your  experience  to  show  that  the  principle 
expressed  in  Prov.  22 : 6  holds  true  of  kittens,  puppies  or  colts  as  well 
as  children. 


2.  Is  it  true  that  it  is  absolutely  impossible  for  a  bad  man  to  be 
changed  into  a  good  man  ?  Do  you  think  this  is  the  meaning  of  Prov. 
27:22? 


3.  In  view  of  the  general  principle  set  forth  in  Prov.  22 : 6,  at  which 
age  would  it  be  the  easier  for  a  bad  man  to  reform,  at  twenty-five, 
or  at  forty? 


4.  According  to  our  English  proverb,  "  You  can't  teach  an  old 
dog  new  tricks,"  how  soon  does  a  puppy  become  an  "  old  dog  "  ?  How 
soon  does  a  child  become  so  old  that  it  is  hajrd  for  him  to  form  new 
habits?     (Notes.) 


5.  About  how  many  more  years  than  a  dog  does  a  human  being 
have,  in  which  to  form  right  habits?  What  does  this  show  regarding 
the  importance  of  a  human  life? 


6.   Suppose  a  man  tells  a  lie  to  a  friend ;  in  what  two  different  ways, 
at  least,  will  he  reap  a  harvest  of  consequences  from  that  seed? 


7,  Does  it  follow  from  Rev.  22 : 1  that  if  a  man  should  repent  and 
turn  to  God  in  the  future  life,  God  would  not  receive  him?  Do  you 
think  it  probable  that  a  thoroughly  bad  man  will  thus  repent? 


8.  A  certain  young  man  finds  it  hard  to  get  down  to  breakfast  on 
time ;  he  has  a  real  struggle  almost  every  morning,  before  he  can  get 
out  of  bed.     He  is  often  discouraged  about  himself,  and  thinks  he 


so  Christian  Life  and  Conduct  Lesson 

must  be  very  weak  willed.  In  view  of  the  experience  of  Jesus  in  the 
matter  of  going  to  the  synagogue,  can  you  think  of  any  way  in  which 
he  might  make  these  struggles  unnecessary?     (See  Note  2.) 


9.  A  girl  resolves  to  stop  using  certain  slang  expressions.  In  which 
period  must  she  watch  herself  most  carefully,  the  first  week,  or  the 
second  week,  or  the  third  week,  after  she  has  formed  the  resolution? 
Can  yon  think  of  anything  she  might  do,  to  make  her  success  more 
certam? 


10.  What  two  applications  does  Professor  James  make,  of  the  law 
of  habit,  in  the  paragraph  quoted  in  Note  4? 


Note-book  Work.     Write  a  short  essay,  giving  illustrations  o^  the 
force  of  habit  from  yoiu:  own  experience. 


Lesson    15.     THE     IMPORTANCE     OF     SELF-CONTROL. 

Temperance  in  Good  Things,  Abstinence  from  Bad  Things. 

Scripture  Lesson,  Prov.  20:1;  21:17;  22:29-35;  25:16;  Gal.  5:22,  23. 

Note  1.     Does  Religion  Mean  a  Long  Face?     "  The  Puritans 

objected  to  bear-baiting,"  says  the  historian  Macaulay, 
"  not  because  the  sport  was  painful  to  the  bear,  but  because 
it  gave  pleasure  to  the  spectators."  The  Puritan  movement 
was  one  of  the  grandest  in  modem  history,  as  Macaulay  him- 
self pointed  out.  The  Puritans  made  a  mistake,  however, 
in  supposing  that  religious  people  ought  not  to  have  any 
amusement.  They  condemned  with  equal  severity  cruel 
sports  like  bear-baiting,  and  innocent  recreations  like  checkers. 
Many  young  people  have  been  repelled  from  religion  and  the 
church  by  this  "  Puritanical  "  idea.  In  this  lesson  we  shall 
try  to  find  out  what  is  the  right  attitude  toward  amusements, 
fui.    and  pleasures  of  every  sort. 


fifteen  fhe  Importance  of  Self-control  81 

Note  2.     What  the  Sages  Taught   regarding   Self-control. 

In  ancient  Israel,  as  among  all  ancient  peoples,  wine  was 
regarded  as  one  of  the  chief  sources  of  pleasure;  indeed,  the 
word  came  to  be  used  as  a  kind  of  synonym  for  pleasure. 
Almost  every  hillside  in  Palestine  was  clothed  with  grape- 
vines, and  the  time  for  gathering  the  vintage  was  the  merriest 
season  in  the  year.  Connected  with  each  vineyard,  or  group 
of  vineyards,  was  a  wine-press.  This  consisted  usually  of 
two  large  troughs,  or  vats,  hollowed  out  of  the  natural  rock, 
or  built  of  masonry.  One  was  on  a  higher  level  than  the 
other.  The  grapes  were  emptied  in  the  upper  one,  and  bare- 
footed men,  women  and  children  '*  trod  the  .wine-press." 
The  grape  juice  flowed  into  the  lower  vat,  through  the  con- 
necting channels  in  the  rock.  The  treaders  made  merry  with 
jokes  and  laughter,  and  "  vintage  songs."  After  the  juice 
was  all  pressed  out,  it  was  allowed  to  ferment  in  large  jars, 
and  after  a  time  was  stored  away  in  *'  wine-skins,"  made  of 
the  hides  of  goats  or  oxen.  The  wine  thus  prepared  was  an 
article  of  everyday  use  among  all  classes.  It  was  prized 
because  it  made  "  glad  the  heart  of  man  "  (Ps.  104: 15),  and 
caused  **  the  bitter  of  soul  "  to  "  remember  his  misery  no 
more  "  (Prov.  31:7).  This  wine,  however,  as  compared  with 
our  modem  distilled  liquors,  was  very  mild.  The  ancients 
were  not  acquainted  with  the  process  of  distillation,  and 
powerful  spirits  like  brandy  and  whiskey  were  unknown. 
Moreover,  each  family,  as  a  rule,  produced  its  own  wine, 
which  was  used  as  freely  as  tea  and  coffee  among  us.  There 
were  no  saloons ;  there  was  no  organized  liquor  traffic  striving 
to  increase  as  much  as  possible  the  consumption  of  poisonous 
liquors,  careless  of  the  consequences. 

In  view  of  these  facts,  it  is  significant  that  even  in  that 
ancient  time,  the  sages  recognized  so  clearly  the  perils  which 
attended  the  use  of  wine.  In  at  least  one  of  the  passages 
in  oiir  lesson,  the  author  comes  out  flatly  for  total  abstinence. 

'*  Look  not  thou  upon  the  wine  when  it  is  red. 
When  it  sparkleth  in  the  cup. 


At  the  last  it  biteth  like  a  serpent, 
And  stingeth  like  an  adder." 


There  are  many  other  enjoyable  things  less  dangerous  than 
wine,  but  which  leave  bad  results  when  used  in  excess.  How 
the  Hebrew  farmer  must  have  rejoiced  when  he  found  ^ 


82  Christian  Life  and  Conduct  Lesson 

mass  of  luscious  honey  in  a  hollow  tree  or  a  cleft  in  the  rocks, 
and  how  tempted  he  would  be  to  eat  of  it  till  it  sickened  him  ! 
What  a  luxury  it  must  have  seemed  to  the  dwellers  in  that 
hot  climate  to  soothe  the  burned  and  smarting  skin  with  olive 
oil,  especially  when  it  was  scented  with  perfumes  from  Arabia, 
as  was  often  the  case;  and  what  a  temptation  it  must  have 
been  to  spend  much  of  their  time  in  the  indulgence  of  such 
luxury  !  In  all  such  matters,  however,  the  sages  counseled 
moderation.  These  are  good  things,  but  they  are  not  the 
things  of  chief  importance.  Health  and  wealth  are  of  more 
importance  than  prolonged  enjoyment,  and  there  are  other 
things  more  important  still.  How  foolish,  therefore,  to 
sacrifice  the  really  worthy  achievements  of  life  through 
immoderate  indulgence  in  mere  pleasures  !  In  short,  we  may 
sum  up  the  teaching  of  the  sages  in  the  sub-title  of  our  lesson: 
"  Temperance  in  good  things,  abstinence  from  bad  things." 

Note  3.  New  Light  on  the  Effects  of  Alcohol.  There  is  far 
more  reason  now  for  abstaining  entirely  from  alcoholic  bever- 
ages than  there  was  in  ancient  times.  Not  only  are  our 
liquors  stronger  and  more  harmful,  but  we  also  have  greater 
knowledge  regarding  the  effects  of  alcohol  even  in  small 
amounts,  upon  the  human  body.  Some  of  the  most  important 
discoveries  are  very  recent.  Many  people,  even  among  total 
abstainers,  still  suppose  that  alcohol  is  a  stimulant.  They 
would  admit  that  in  a  case  of  extreme  exhaustion,  as  for  ex- 
ample, in  the  crisis  of  certain  diseases,  it  may  help  to  sustain 
heart  action,  and  thus  tide  the  patient  over  the  crisis  or  that 
it  may  in  some  cases  stimulate  an  orator  to  flights  of  eloquence, 
otherwise  impossible.  The  temperance  people  have  said, 
however,  "  We  will  leave  a  stimulant  so  dangerous  as  this 
to  be  used  only  by  competent  physicians.  As  for  eloquence, 
there  are  other  sources  of  inspiration,  not  only  less  dangerous 
but  mightier  in  effect."  This  is  certainly  good  logic.  But 
it  now  appears  that  the  foes  of  alcohol  have  been  too  generous 
even  in  these  admissions.  The  majority  of  investigators 
now  declare  that  alcohol  is  not  a  stimulant.  As  a  drug,  it 
is  to  be  classed  with  the  narcotics  and  anaesthetics  rather 
than  with  the  stimulants.  As  an  anaesthetic  it  has  a  deceptive 
effect  on  the  feelings.  It  makes  a  man  feel  warm,  when  he  is 
really  cold.  It  makes  a  man  feel  strong,  when  he  is  really 
weak.      And  as  for  the  ancient  notion  that  wine  is  a  hana- 


I'^iUccn  xhe  Importance  of  Self-control  83 

maid  of  poetry,  eloquence  and  song,  it  now  appears  that  even 
this  is  a  delusion.  Long  ago  Dr.  Johnson  pointed  out  that 
alcohol  tended  to  make  a  man  mistake  words  for  thought, 
and  he  was  right.  It  makes  a  man  feel  eloquent,  in  other 
words,  when  he  is  perhaps  only  making  a  fool  of  himself. 
Alcohol  may  surely  be  awarded  the  prize,  as  the  champion 
faker  of  human  history. 

The  movement  for  total  abstinence  is  stronger  to-day  than 
ever  before.  In  Germany,  beer  has  been  used  for  centuries  as 
a  daily  beverage,  as  wine  was  used  in  ancient  Israel.  But 
Kaiser  Wilhelm,  in  a  recent  address  to  an  audience  of  naval 
cadets,  came  out  squarely  for  total  abstinence.  He  said,  "  The 
nation  which  in  the  future  uses  the  smallest  amount  of  alcohol 
will  march  at  the  head  of  the  column." 

Note  4.  Application  of  the  Principle  of  the  Sages  to  Other 
Forms  of  Pleasure.  Many  important  matters  to  which  this 
principle  may  be  applied,  are  referred  to  in  the  questions. 
One  or  two  applications  may  be  taken  up  here.  Every  man 
has  to  face  the  question,  "  Shall  I,  or  shall  I  not,  use  tobacco?  " 
Now  it  is  universally  agreed  that  while  the  body  is  growing, 
tobacco  is  exceedingly  harmful.  On  the  principle  of  absti- 
nence from  bad  things,  it  is  clear  that  no  growing  boy  should 
touch  tobacco  in  any  form.  As  for  its  use  in  adult  life,  the 
truth  is  that  a  man  who  has  not  as  a  boy  acquired  the  habit 
of  using  tobacco  seldom  does  so  later  on. 

The  principle  may  also  be  applied  to  the  question  of  read- 
ing. There  are  some  books  which  are  positively  harmful. 
To  read  them  is  to  live  in  an  atmosphere  of  low  ideals,  of 
secret  or  open  contempt  for  truth  and  goodness.  Self- 
control  means  the  avoidance  of  such  books,  as  mental  and 
moral  poison.  On  the  other  hand,  the  shelves  of  our  libraries 
are  filled  with  good  books,  with  novels,  for  example,  like 
those  of  Scott  and  Dickens,  in  every  way  uplifting,  and  in- 
tensely interesting  as  well.  But  we  should  use  moderation 
in  reading  even  them.  A  good  story  stirs  within  us  noble 
emotions  that  should  lead  to  noble  actions.  But  in  a  constant 
novel  reader,  the  emotions  are  dissipated  without  reaching 
expression  in  real  deeds.  **  There  is  no  more  contemptible 
type  of  human  character,"  says  Professor  James,  "  than 
that  of  the  nerveless  sentimentalist  and  dreamer  who  spends 
his  life  in  a  weltering  sea  of  sensibility  and  emotion,  but  who 


84  (ynrisHaii  Life  and  Conduct  Lfison 

never  does  a  manly,  concrete  deed.  .  .  .  The  habit  of  ex- 
cessive novel  reading  and  theatre  going  will  produce  true 
monsters  in  this  line.  The  weeping  of  a  Russian  lady  over 
the  fictitious  personages  in  the  play,  while  her  coachman  is 
freezing  to  death  on  his  seat,  is  the  sort  of  thing  that  every- 
where happens  on  a  less  glaring  scale." 

Note  5.  How  to  Attain  Self-control.  Said  a  negro  preacher, 
**  When  you're  lookin'  at  your  neighbor's  melon  patch, 
bredderin,  you  cain't  keep  your  mouf  from  waterin',  but  you 
kin  run."  The  old  preacher's  advice  may  be  put  in  another 
way,  as  follows:  When  you  are  tempted  to  do  wrong,  think 
of  something  else.  To  keep  saying  to  yourself,  "  I  won't, 
I  won't,"  simply  holds  the  tantalizing  thought  before  your 
mind.  It  is  like  lingering  beside  the  melon  patch.  It  is  a 
good  thing,  therefore,  to  have  a  variety  of  healthful  interests, 
to  which  we  can  turn  in  moments  of  temptation.  Cultivate 
a  taste  for  good  books ;  learn  to  play  some  musical  instrument, 
play  tennis,  swim,  skate,  play  baseball.  But  even  here 
remember  that  amusements  are  like  luxuries,  good  in  modera- 
tion but  bad  in  excess.  Candy  and  mince  pie  are  good  in 
small  quantities,  but  not  as  a  steady  diet.  Above  all,  have 
some  strong  central  worthy  purpose  in  life.  Such  a  purpose, 
like  a  rudder,  will  hold  you  true  to  your  course,  in  spite  of 
the  allurements  of  self-indulgence. 

EXPLANATION  OF  SCRIPTURE  PASSAGES. 
Prov.  20:1.  Whosoever  erreth  thereby:  Better  translated 
in  the  margin,  **  reeleth,"  that  is,  "  is  intoxicated  "  thereby. 
Prov.  21:17.  He  that  loveth  pleasure:  That  is,  makes  pleas- 
ure-seeking the  chief  business  of  life.  Prov.  23:29.  Who 
hath  woe?  who  hath  sorrow:  A  picture  of  the  misery  that 
comes  the  morning  after  a  debauch.  Who  hath  wounds 
without  cause:  That  is,  gets  into  needless  fights.  Redness 
of  eyes:  Or  dulness  of  eyes.  Prov.  23:30.  Mixed  wine: 
Wine  to  which  spices  have  been  added  to  make  it  hotter 
and  stronger.  Prov.  23:33.  Thine  eyes  shall  behold  strange 
things:  Referring  to  the  crazy  notions  of  the  drunken  man. 
Prov.  23:34.  Lieth  upon  the  top  of  the  mast:  The  translation 
is  not  quite  certain.  Perhaps  the  line  should  be  rendered, 
"  like  a  sailor  sleeping  in  a  storm."  The  general  idea  is 
plain:   the   drunkard   is   heedless  in   the   midst   of   danger. 


Fifteen  fhe  Importance  of  Self-control  85 

Prov.  23:35.  They  have  stricken  me,  .  .  .  and  I  was  not 
hurt;  ...  I  will  seek  it  yet  again:  The  words  of  the  drunkard 
coming  out  of  his  drunken  stupor.  He  finds  wounds  and 
bruises  on  his  body,  and  knows  nothing  about  how  he  received 
them,  save  that  it  was  while  he  was  drunk.  Yet  he  learns 
nothing  from  experience.  Gal.  5:23.  Self-control:  Paul 
seems  to  make  this  virtue  the  climax  in  the  long  list  of  virtues 
which  are  the  "  fruit  of  the  Spirit." 

THOUGHTS  FROM  OTHER  SOURCES. 

**  Hast  thou  named  all  the  birds  without  a  gun.? 
Loved  the  wood-rose  and  left  it  on:  its  stalk? 
At  rich  men's  tables  eaten  bread  and  pulse? 
Unarmed,  faced  danger  with  a  heart  of  trust, 
And  loved  so  well  a  high  behavior. 
In  man  or  maid,  that  thou  from  speech  refrained, 
Nobility  more  nobly  to  repay? 
O,  be  my  friend,  and  teach  me  to  be  thine !  " 

— Emerson. 

DmECTIONS  FOR  HOME  STUDY. 

Questions  on  the  Lesson.  Before  attempting  to  answer  these 
questions,  read  carefully  all  the  Scripture  passages  referred  to  at  the 
beginning  of  the  lesson. 

1.  Do  you  think  that  the  words  "  mocker  "  and  "  brawler  "  in 
Prov.  20 : 1  refer  to  the  wine  itself,  or  to  the  man  who  drinks  it  ? 


2.  Do  you  think  the  motive  appealed  to  in  Prov.  21: 17  is  a  high 
or  a  low  one  ?     What  would  be  a  higher  motive  ? 


3.  Which  lines  in  Prov.  23 :  29-35  do  you  admire  most,  and  why  ? 


4.  Put  into  modern  language  Prov.  25:16.  Remember  that  the 
ancients  did  not  have  sugar,  and  therefore  used  honey  a  great  deal 
more  than  we  do. 


5.  Apply  the  principle  of  the  wise  men  to  the  problem,  "  Is  it  right 
to  play  cards?  "     Consider 
(a)  Gambling  games. 


86  Christian  Life  and  Conduct  ^^««°^' 

(6)  Games  in  which  actual  money  is  not  wagered,  but  in  which  the 
jjiayers  go  through  the  forms  of  gambling,  for  example,  with 
matches. 

j)  Games  chiefly  of  skill,  like  whist. 

6.  Apply  the  principle  to  the  question  of  theatre  going;  consider 
(a)   Shows  which  are  morally  degrading. 

{h)  High  class  plays,  such  as  a  rendering  of  Shakespearian  dramas,  by 
good  actors. 

7.  Apply  the  principle  to  the  question  of  dancing.  It  is  often 
said  that  waltzing  requires  an  improper  position.  This  is  no  doubt 
true  of  the  waltz  as  sometimes  danced.  Consider,  as  in  the  above 
questions 

(a)   Round  dances; 

{b)  Square  dances; 
(c)   Public  dances. 

8.  Suppose  some  one  should  say  to  you,  ''  Moderate  drinking  does 
no  harm;  I  know  when  to  stop."     How  would  you  answer  him? 


9.  Suppose  a  man  should  say,  "  I  am  a  traveling  salesman;  I  can- 
not sell  goods  without  drinking  with  my  customers."  How  would 
you  reply? 


10.  What  is  the  best  way  of  resisting  temptation  (Note  5)  ?  Can 
you  explain,  by  this  principle,  how  a  person  is  helped  to  overcome  sin, 
by  being  an  enthusiastic  Christian? 


Note-book  "Work.  It  would  be  a  good  idea  to  secure  two  worn- 
out  or  inexpensive  copies  of  the  Bible,  and  cut  out  all  the  passages 
in  our  lesson  and  paste  them  in  your  note-book.  Thus  you  will  have 
all  together  the  teachings  of  the  sa^es  regarding  self-control.  Include 
m  your  collection  Prov.  31 :  ^  '^ 


Sixteen  xhe  Power  of  the  Tongtie  87 

Lesson  16.    THE  POWER  OF  THE  TONGUE.    The  Mischief 
of  Inconsiderate  Speech. 

Scripture  Lesson,  Prov.  12:18;  15:1,  2,  4;  16:27,  28,  32;  17:9,  27,  28; 
25:11;  26:20-22;  Mt.  12:36,  37;  Jas.  3:1-12. 

Note  1.  The  Habit  of  Tale  Bearing.  John  Fox  gives  us 
a  character  sketch  in  one  of  his  stories  of  Kentucky  moun- 
taineer Hfe,  which  reminds  one  of  what  is  said  in  Proverbs 
about  a  **  whisperer."  "  Abe  tuk  to  lyin'  right  naturely, 
looked  Hke,  afore  he  could  talk.  Fact  is,  Abe  never  could 
do  nothin'  but  jes'  whisper.  Still,  Abe  could  manage  to 
send  a  lie  furder  with  that  rattlin'  whisper  than  old  Tom 
could,  with  that  big  horn  o'  hisn.  Some  feller  finds  a  streak 
o'  ore  on  old  Tom's  land,  an'  tells  a  furriner  in  town,  an' 
Tom  comes  might'  nigh  sellin'  the  land  fer  nothin'.  Now 
Tom  raised  Abe,  but  jes'  the  same,  the  feller  was  Abe.  Some- 
body tells  Harve  Hall  up  thar  at  a  dance  on  Christmas  night 
that  Rich  Harp  had  said  somep'n  agin  him  and  Nance  Osborn. 
An'  somebody  tells  Rich  that  Harve  had  said  somep'n  agin 
Nance  and  him.  Hit  was  one  an'  the  same  feller,  stranger, 
an'  that  feller  was  Abe.  Hit's  purty  hard  to  believe  that 
Abe  air  gone,  but  if  Abe  air  gone,  why  the  rest  of  us  air  goin' 
to  be  saved  shore.  Fer  Abe's  gone  fust,  an'  ef  thar's  only 
one  Jedgment  Day,  the  Lawd'll  nuver  git  to  us." — Condensed 
from  The  Passing  of  Abraham  Shivers. 

Note  2.     Why  the  Wise  Men  Urged  Carefulness  in  Speech. 

We  all  know  that  gossip  is  one  of  the  besetting  sins  of  village 
life.  This  was  even  more  true  formerly  than  now,  when 
the  railroad,  the  telephone  and  the  rural  free  delivery  have 
brought  the  village  closer  to  the  city  and  broadened  its 
outlook.  But  even  now,  in  the  genial  warmth  of  the  stove 
down  at  the  store,  on  a  winter's  evening,  or  at  the  weekl}^ 
meetings  of  the  **  sewing  circle,"  the  stream  of  talk  fre- 
quently swells  to  a  torrent,  and  it  is  easy  on  such  occasions 
to  speak  unwisely.  The  ancient  Hebrews  were  probably 
not  more  talkative  by  nature  than  other  races.  Canaan, 
however,  was  a  land  of  small  villages.  There  were  few  large 
towns.  The  population  of  Jerusalem  in  those  days  was 
probably  never  larger  than  forty  thousand.  The  great 
majority  of  the  people  lived  in  villages,  the  men  going  out 
daily  to  work  in  the  fields,  the  women  attending  to  the  duties 


88  Christian  Life  and  Condtict  ^^''^ 

of  the  home.  The  "  village  gate  '*  corresponded  to  our 
country  store,  and  not  only  at  the  gate,  but  up  and  down 
the  narrow  street,  every  day  in  the  year,  there  was  endless 
opportunity  for  gossip.  Everybody  knew  everybody  else. 
They  had,  in  fact,  little  else  to  think  and  talk  about,  besides 
one  another.  We  cannot  wonder  that  the  wise  men  had  so 
much  to  -say  about  the  importance  of  carefulness  in  speech, 
or  even  that  they  should  at  times  have  maintained,  as  does 
our  modern  proverb,  that  silence  is  "  golden." 

Note  3.  The  Teaching  and  Example  of  Jesus.  In  speaking 
of  the  early  life  of  Jesus,  some  one  has  coined  a  phrase,  "  the 
thirty  silent  years."  The  expression  sets  one  to  thinking. 
We  cannot  doubt  that  Jesus  felt  like  speaking  publicly  to 
His  fellow  men  about  God  and  duty,  long  before  He  was 
thirty  years  old.  Great  ideas  must  have  surged  within  Him. 
But  He  kept  silent.  Even  after  the  call  came  to  Him  at 
the  time  of  His  baptism,  He  went  first  into  the  wilderness 
to  be  alone  for  a  while,  before  He  began  His  public  ministry. 
It  was  in  part  because  He  thus  took  time  to  think  in  silence, 
to  brood  over  the  truth,  that  it  could  be  said  of  Him,  **  never 
man  so  spake."  He  could  be  silent  when  it  was  proper 
to  be  silent,  and,  what  is  just  as  important.  He  could  say  the 
right  word  when  the  occasion  called  for  speech.  He  realized 
the  extent  of  the  influence  which  it  is  possible  to  wield  in 
the  lives  of  men  through  speech,  and  although  He  insisted 
that  words  could  not  be  substituted  for  deeds  (Mt.*7:21), 
He  declared  that  God  holds  us  rigidly  responsible  for  every 
idle,  that  is,  every  careless  word. 

Note  4.  Application  to  our  Own  Lives.  **  Think  before 
you  speak."  This  is  one  phase  of  the  teachings  of  the  Bible 
on  this  subject.  To  many  people  it  is  the  most  important 
phase.  Unkind  and  angry  words  would  seldom  be  spoken 
if  one  would  stop  for  a  moment  and  think  how  they  are 
likely  to  affect  the  person  addressed.  Friendships  may  be 
thereby  wrecked  and  whole  lives  blasted.  The  speaker 
would  often  give  anything  in  his  power  to  have  it  unspoken, 
but  it  can  no  more  be  recalled  than  can  a  bullet  when  it 
has  sped  from  a  gun  on  its  murderous  errand.  Silence,  more- 
over, is  often  as  eloquent,  and  may  be  as  cruel  and  as  de- 
ceptive as  speech.  The  truly  good  man  must  cultivate 
ihe  art  of  speaking  words  which  shall  be  like  "  apples  of 


Sixteen  fii^  Power  of  the  Tongue  89 

gold  in  network  of  silver."  Frederick  the  Great  was  once 
ridiculing  Christianity  in  the  presence  of  his  generals.  Most 
of  them  were  convulsed  with  laughter  at  his  coarse  jests. 
One  of  them,  however,  Joachim  von  Zietan,  remained  silent, 
and  after  a  time  could  bear  it  no  longer.  **  Your  Majesty- 
knows  well,"  said  he,  **  that  in  war  I  have  never  feared  any 
danger,  and  everywhere  I  have  boldly  risked  my  life  for 
you  and  my  country.  But  there  is  One  above  us  who  is 
greater  than  you  and  I  —  greater  than  all  men.  The  Holy 
One  I  can  never  allow  to  be  mocked  or  insulted;  for  on 
Him  repose  my  faith,  my  comfort,  and  my  hope  in  life 
and  death.  I  salute  your  Majesty."  The  great  emperor 
looked  at  the  man  in  astonishment  and  admiration,  and 
then  and  there  apologized  for  what  he  had  said.  Joachim 
von  Zietan  had  spoken  the  right  word  at  the  right  time, 
and  it  has  made  his  name  illustrious.  The  power  of  the 
tongue  for  good  or  for  evil, — that  is  the  thing  we  need  to 
realize  more  keenly.  Single  sentences  have  changed  the 
course  of  history  for  better  or  for  worse.  "  Here  I  stand; 
God  help  me,  I  cannot  do  otherwise,"  said  Luther  at  Worms, 
and  the  Reformation  was  bom.  "  Remember  the  Maine," 
cried  some  one,  and  Cuba  was  destined  to  be  free.  "  The 
tongue  is  a  little  member;  .  .  .  Behold  how  much  wood 
is  kindled  by  how  small  a  fire  !" 

EXPLANATION  OF  SCRIPTURE  PASSAGES. 
Prov.  15:1.  A  grievous  word:  A  harsh  word.  Prov.  15:4. 
Perverseness  therein:  Violence  is  perhaps  a  better  translation 
than  perverseness.  The  line  means  **  violent  words  wound 
the  soul."  Prov.  16:27.  Deviseth  mischief:  Literally,  "  Digs 
a  pit  of  mischief,"  as  a  trap  for  his  fellow  men.  Prov.  16:28. 
A  perverse  man:  That  is,  a  false  man.  Prov.  16:32.  He 
that  raleth  his  spirit:  This  verse  may  be  applied  to  self-control 
in  all  things,  but  the  wise  man  had  in  mind  chiefly  self- 
restraint  in  speech,  when  angry.  Prov.  17:9.  He  that  cov- 
ereth  a  transgression:  That  is,  he  who  is  silent  about  the 
faults  of  his  neighbors.  Prov.  17:27.  He-  that  spareth  his 
words:  He  that  is  cautious  in  speech.  Prov.  25:11.  Like 
apples  of  gold  in  network  of  silver:  Or,  as  others  translate, 
"  like  graved  work  of  gold  and  carved  work  of  silver."  The 
phrase  certainly  refers  to  some  form  of  artistic  metal  work, 
Prov.  26:2 L     As  coals  are  to  hot  embers:  That  is.  charcoal. 


90  Christian  Life  and  Conduct  Lesson 

which  burns  quickly  when  put  on  hot  embers.     Prov.  26:22. 
The  words  of  a  whisperer  are  as  dainty  morsels:  The  slanderer 

can  almost  always  find  an  eager  audience.  Mt.  12:36.  Every 
idle  word  that  men  shall  speak:  The  Pharisees  had  accused 
Jesus  of  casting  out  demons  through  Beelzebub  the  prince 
of  the  demons.  It  was  one  of  the  most  wicked  sentences 
ever  spoken.  It  called  forth  from  Jesus  His  terrific  warning 
against  blaspheming  the  Holy  Spirit  (Mt.  12:31,  32).  This 
verse  about  idle  speaking  was  uttered  in  the  same  connection. 
"  You  probably  did  not  think  what  you  were  saying,"  Jesus 
means;  "but  remember,  for  every  careless  utterance,  men 
will  be  held  responsible  on  the  day  of  judgment."  Jas. 
3:1.  Be  not  many  of  you  teachers:  Be  not  too  eager  to  get 
up  in  prayer  meeting  and  exhort  others  to  do  right;  for  if 
you  yourself  do  wrong  afterwards,  the  harm  caused  thereby 
is  all  the  greater.  The  early  Christians  were  so  eager  to 
speak  in  their  meetings  that  a  perfect  babel  sometimes  re- 
sulted (1  Cor.  14:20-33).  James  goes  on  to  speak  of  the 
danger  of  misusing  the  tongue  in  other  ways  besides  that 
of  exhortations  with  which  one's  life  is  inconsistent.  Jas. 
3:2.  If  any  stumbleth  not  in  word,  the  same  is  a  perfect 
man:  Anybody  who  can  control  his  tongue  can  certainly 
control  himself  in  other  ways.  For  the  tongue  is  the  most 
"  unruly  member  "  of  all.  Jas.  3:3.  If  we  put  the  horses' 
bridles  into  their  mouths,  etc.:  Just  as  you  can  control  the 
entire  body  of  a  horse  by  putting  a  bit  in  his  mouth,,  so  it 
will  be  easy  to  control  ourselves  in  other  ways  if  we  can 
control  our  tongue.  Jas.  3:4.  The  ships  also,  .  .  .  are  yet 
turned  about  by  a  very  small  rudder:  In  this  verse  James 
proceeds  to  speak  of  the  extraordinary  influence  of  the  tongue, 
in  spite  of  the  fact  that  it  is  "a  little  member."  Jas.  3:6. 
The  world  of  iniquity  among  our  members  is  the  tongue: 
The  tongue  is  the  worldly,  evil  element  in  human  nature. 
The  wheel  of  nature:  This  phrase  perhaps  means  our  natural 
impulses.  Jas.  3:8.  The  tongue  can  no  man  tame:  The 
tongue  is  hardest  to  be  tamed.  Jas.  3:10,  11.  These  things 
ought  not  so  to  be,  etc.:  These  things  are  unnatural.  You 
can  depend  upon  a  fountain  to  give  forth  one  kind  of  water, 
and  on  a  tree  to  produce  one  variety  of  fruit.  But  the 
tongue  sometimes  blesses  and  sometimes  curses.  Jas.  3:12. 
Neither  can  salt  water  yield  sweet:  A  spring  of  salt  water  never 
gives  forth  fresh  water. 


Sixteen  7/j^  Power  of  the  Tongue  91 

THOUGHTS  FROM  OTHER  SOURCES. 

'*  These  clumsy  feet,  still  in  the  mire, 
Go  crushing  blossoms  without  end. 
These  hard,  well-meaning  hands  we  thrust 

Among  the  heartstrings  of  a  friend. 
The  ill-timed  truth  we  might  have  kept, 

Who  knows  how  sharp  it  pierced  and  stung ! 
The  word  we  had  not  sense  to  say, 

Who  knows  how  grandly  it  had  rung  !  ' ' 

— Edward  Rowland  Si  J. 

"  Never  dare  hurt  any  soul.  The  most  awful  consciousness  a  man 
can  have  is  that  he  has  hurt  a  human  soul  years  ago,  and  now  has  no 
power  to  repair  the  damage.  He  may  have  recovered  from  the  injury 
to  his  own  being,  but  the  knowledge  that  he  has  ever  injured  the  soul 
of  another  man  or  woman,  who  has  gone  out  of  his  sight  now,  so  that 
he  cannot  know  how  serious  the  injury  may  have  been,  is  a  terrible 
thing  for  any  one  to  know." — Phillips  Brooks. 

DIRECTIONS  FOR  HOME  STUDY. 

Questions  on  the  Lesson.  Before  attempting  to  answer  these 
questions,  read  carefully  all  the  Scripture  passages  referred  to  at  the 
beginning  of  the  lesson. 

1.  What  may  have  been  some  personal  experience  of  the  wise 
man  who  wrote  Prov.  12:18?  (Note  2  may  help  to  ansv/er  this  and 
the  following  question.) 


2.  What  actual  occurrence  at  the  gate   of   some   Hebrew  village 
may  have  occasioned  such  proverbs  as  16:28  and  26:20-22? 


3.  Mention,   if   you   can,    illustrations   from   your   own   experience 
of  the  truth  that  "  a  soft  answer  turneth  away  wrath." 


4.  Is  it  reasonable  to  infer  from    Prov.    17:27,  28  that  silence  is 
always  better  than  speech? 


5.  Give  an  examxple  of  an  occasion  when  silence  would  certainly 
not  be  golden. 


92  Christian  Life  and  Conduct  -''^^^ 

6.  Is  it  literally  true  that  "  the  tongue  can  no  man  tame  "  (Jas. 
3:8)?  How  does  Jesus  show  that  the  tongue  may  be  tamed  (Mt. 
12:34,  35)? 


7.   Which  of  the  proverbs  in  our  lesson  apply  especially  to  people 
who  pride  themselves  on  being  blunt  and  plain-spoken? 


8.  Can  you  think  of  some  word  of  praise  which  you  could  say  to 
some  friend,  and  which  it  would  do  him  good  to  hear?  Which  of  the 
proverbs  in  our  lesson  would  lead  us  to  say  such  things  oftener  than 
we  do? 


9.  Call  to  mind  some  person  whom  you  dislike,  and  try  to  think  of 
his  good  qualities.     How  many  can  you  name? 


10.  Name,  if  you  can,  some  person  whom  you  know,  whose  words 
are  usually  "  fitly  spoken,"  "  like  apples  of  gold  in  network  of  silver." 


Note-book   Work.     Continue   the   plan   of   clipping  the   Scripture 
referenqps  from  a  worn-out  copy  of  the  Bible.     Paste  them  in  your 
note-book,    putting    those    together    which    are    similar    in   thought. 
Classify  them  under  the  following  four  heads: 
(i)  Necessity  for  caution  in  speech. 

(2)  Value  of  kind  and  tactful  words. 

(5)  Importance  of  restraining  angry  words. 

{4)  Evils  of  gossip. 


Seventeen  jhe  Dignity  of  Work  93 

Lesson  17.    THE  DIGNITY  OF  WORK.    The  Demoralizing 
Effect  of  Laziness. 

Scripture  Lesson,  Gen.  2:15;  3:17-19;  Prov.  6:6-11;  24:30-34; 
26:13-16;  Mk.  6:3;  Eph.  4:28. 

Note  1.  The  Tendency  to  Despise  Manual  Labor.  During 
a  recent  Christmas  season,  the  daughter  of  a  wealthy  society 
woman  carried  home  a  small  parcel  from  a  department  store. 
Her  mother  was  horrified.  "  ¥/hy  didn't  you  have  it  de- 
livered? "  she  asked.  *'  Every  one  is  overworked  at  the 
store,  just  now,  mother,"  the  girl  answered.  "  I  wanted  to 
give  them  as  little  trouble  as  possible."  **  I  don't  care 
how  hard  they  have  to  work,"  said  the  mother,  "  you  must 
never  lower  yourself  in  this  way  again.     I  think  you  might 

consider  your  family.     What  do  you  suppose  Mrs.   S 

will  say?  "  In  all  ages,  there  has  been  a  tendency  on  the 
part  of  certain  classes  of  society  to  despise  all  kinds  of  labor, 
especially  manual  labor,  as  degrading.  The  ideal  life,  ac- 
cording to  this  point  of  view,  is  one  of  idleness.  Is  there 
a  vestige  of  truth  in  "this  notion?  Our  lesson  should  help 
us  to  answer  this  question. 

Note   2.     Labor   Honored    among   the    Hebrews.     In    the 

early  days  of  Israel  nearly  all  the  people  worked  with  the 
hands.  Boaz  winnowed  his  own  barley,  tossing  the  chaff 
and  the  grain  into  the  air,  so  that  the  wind  blew  the  chaff 
away  (Ruth  3:2).  Saul,  even  after  he  had  been  anointed 
as  king  by  Samuel,  plowed  in  his  father's  field  (1  Sam.  11:5). 
David  was  a  shepherd  until  he  went  to  the  court  of  Saul. 
As  the  years  passed,  however,  and  there  v/ere  more  people 
who  were  rich,  and  therefore  were  not  compelled  to  work, 
idleness  became  fashionable.  The  prophet  Amos  describes 
certain  rich  nobles  who  spent  the  greater  part  of  their  time 
lounging  "  in  the  corner  of  a  couch  and  on  the  silken  cushions 
in  the  bed."  People  of  this  sort  wore  garments  with  long 
flowing  sleeves,  in  which  it  was  impossible  to  do  manual 
labor.  It  was  such  a  long-sleeved  robe  that  Jacob  gave  to 
Joseph  (Gen.  37:3).  It  was  not  because  of  its  gay  colors 
that  the  brothers  were  jealous,  but  because  the  wearer  of 
that  style  of  coat  was  supposed  not  to  do  work  like  ordinary 
people.  Among  the  Arabs  to-day,  all  kinds  of  work  which 
compel  the  worker  to  have  his  arms  bare  are  looked  dowo 


94  Christian  Life  and  Conduct  Lesson 

upon.  It  is  not  genteel  among  them  to  have  to  roll  up  one's 
sleeves.  The  whole  tendency  of  the  Book  of  Proverbs,  as 
shown  by  the  references  in  our  lesson,  is  to  hold  in  contempt, 
not  honest  toil,  but  idleness  and  laziness.  The  prophets 
also  helped  to  stem  the  tide  of  fashionable  idleness.  Amos, 
as  we  have  seen,  protested  against  the  luxurious  habits  of 
the  nobles,  who  "  sang  idle  songs  to  the  sound  of  the  viol." 
It  is  from  a  historian  who  wrote  in  the  spirit  of  the  prophets 
that  we  have  the  story  of  the  Garden  of  Eden.  According 
to  this  story,  when  Adam  and  Eve  were  expelled  from  the 
garden,  Jehovah  said  to  Adam,  "  In  the  sweat  of  thy  face 
shalt  thou  eat  bread."  From  this,  it  has  sometimes  been 
inferred  that  work  in  itself  is  a  curse.  The  story  does  not 
mean  this,  however.  For  even  in  Eden  the  man  was  given 
the  task  of  dressing  the  garden,  and  caring  for  it.  The  curse 
pronounced  upon  Adam  was  not  labor,  but  unprofitable 
labor.  To  toil  the  long  summer  through,  and  reap  little 
besides  thorns  and  thistles  at  harvest,  is  indeed  a  hard  and 
bitter  life.  And  it  is  a  fact  that  as  a  result  of  sin  and  greed, 
many  human  beings  are  condemned  to  ceaseless  and  ill-paid 
labor.  This  kind  of  labor  is  described  by  Edwin  Markham 
in  The  Man  with  the  Hoe: 

"  Bowed  by  the  weight  of  centuries,  he  leans 
Upon  his  hoe  and  gazes  on  the  ground, 
The  emptiness  of  ages  in  his  face." 

But  the  notion  that  work  in  itself  is  degrading  seems  to 
have  originated  among  people  who  desired  an  excuse  for  their 
own  idleness. 

Largely  through  the  influence  of  the  wise  men  and  the 
prophets,  the  Jews  through  all  their  later  history  have  honored 
labor.  According  to  the  rabbis,  to  neglect  to  teach  one's 
son  some  trade  is  to  bring  him  up  as  a  thief.  The  trade  of 
the  tanner  was  somewhat  looked  down  upon,  because  of  the 
disagreeable  odors  connected  with  it.     Yet  the  rabbis  said: 

"  Better  to  skin  a  carcass  for  pay  in  the  public  streets, 
Than  to  lie  idly  dependent  on  charity." 

Many  of  the  famous  rabbis  themselves  worked  at  trades. 
Johanan  was  a  sandal-maker,  Hillel  was  a  wood-cutter, 
and  as  we  all  know.  Rabbi  Saul  of  Tarsus  was  a  tent-maker. 


Seventeen  Xhe  Dignity  of  Work  95 

Note   3.     The  Teaching   and  Example   of  Jesus.     It   was 

not  necessary  for  Jesus  to  preach  the  virtue  of  industry. 
His  countrymen  had  learned  that  lesson.  He  took  the  dig- 
nity and  value  of  toil  for  granted,  however,  in  many  ot 
His  parables,  such  as  those  of  the  shepherd,  the  sower,  and 
the  laborers  in  the  vineyard.  And  even  though  He  did 
not  explicitly  exhort  His  disciples  to  be  industrious,  the 
example  which  He  Himself  set  was  more  eloquent  than 
words  could  have  been.  We  are  told  that  He  was  a  car- 
penter. More  exactly,  perhaps,  we  should  describe  Him  as 
a  builder,  that  is,  He  probably  worked  both  in  wood  and 
in  stone.  Do  we  realize  clearly  enough  that  until  Jesus 
was  thirty  years  old,  He  was  a  laborer;  that  He  was  accus- 
tomed to  lift  great  heavy  beams;  that  His  hands  were  cal- 
loused, that  His  shoulders  were  broad  and  His  muscles  hard? 
It  was  during  these  years,  moreover,  that  Jesus  "  grew  in 
wisdom."  Culture  is  not  necessarily  associated  with  soft 
white  hands;  for  the  most  exquisitely  cultured  life  that  has 
ever  been  seen  among  men  was  the  life  of  an  ordinary  me- 
chanic, begrimed  from  day  to  day  by  the  dust  and  sweat 
of  toil.  Moreover,  as  His  parables  show,  it  was  through 
the  homely  experiences  of  that  life  of  toil  that  He  was  best 
able  to  teach  the  great  truths  of  God  and  human  life.  The 
sower  scattering  his  seed,  the  housewife  mixing  yeast  with 
her  flour,  or  throwing  out  salt  which  had  lost  its  savor — • 
in  such  incidents  of  daily  work  Jesus  bade  His  disciples  find 
the  sublimest  truth  revealed. 

Note  4.  The  Dishonesty  of  Idleness.  The  wise  men 
taught  that  laziness  is  justly  punished  by  poverty.  Laziness, 
therefore,  is  essentially  dishonest.  It  is  an  attempt  to  live 
on  the  fruits  of  the  labors  of  others.  Paul,  in  writing  to  his 
Gentile  converts,  associates  idleness  with  dishonesty.  **  Let 
him  that  stole  steal  no  more,  but  rather  let  him  labor." 
The  truth  is  that  all  laziness  is  dishonest.  A  man  may  in- 
herit wealth  from  his  father.  He  may  then  say,  ''  I  don't 
have  to  work.  I  have  a  right  to  live  in  idleness  the  rest  of 
my  life,  if  I  choose."  To  which  we  answer,  "  Tut,  tut, 
young  man;  how  came  you  to  have  so  large  a  balance  in 
your  account  with  the  world?  How  came  your  father  by 
that  wealth?  Honestly,  no  doubt;  but  did  he  invent  the 
steam  engine  which  transported  his  goods?     Did  the  wages 


96  Christian  Life  and  Condtict  ^^^^ 

he  paid  suffice  to  heal  the  hurt  of  broken-hearted  widows 
whose  husbands  risked  their  hves  in  his  employ?  "  The 
truth  is  that  society  has  already  given  to  us  all  infinitely 
more  than  we  can  ever  repay.  The  onl}^  honest  thing  for 
any  of  us  to  do  is  to  give  society  in  return  a  lifetime  of  en- 
thusiastic labor,  not  necessarily  manual  labor,  but  useful 
effort,  the  best  there  is  in  us,  whatever  that  may  be.  The 
rich  man  has  received  far  more  from  society  than  the  poor 
man.  If  he  lives  in  idleness,  he  is  therefore  even  more  of  a 
social  parasite  than  the  able-bodied  beggar;  for  he  is  under 
greater  obligation. 

Note  5.  Labor  and  Happiness.  It  is  through  work  that 
the  highest  happiness  comes  to  us  all.  It  is  not  the  money 
that  one  earns,  but  the  work  of  earning  it  that  gives  us  the 
greatest  satisfaction.  It  is  really  far  harder  to  be  idle  than 
to  work.  Idle  people  are  always  wretched.  As  a  rule, 
having  no  work  to  do,  they  become  disagreeable  busybodies 
in  the  affairs  of  others,  or  they  betake  themselves  to  dis- 
honorable ways.  A  convict  was  just  beginning  his  term 
in  the  penitentiary.  "  What  can  you  do?  "  asked  the  warden. 
"  I  never  did  a  day's  work  in  my  life,"  the  man  answered. 
"  That's  probably  why  you  are  here,"  said  the  warden. 
Had  this  convict  gone  to  work  as  a  young  man  in  some  useful 
occupation,  he  would  have  kept  out  of  mischief  and  out  of 
jail.  He  would  have  found  his  work,  in  the  long  run,  in- 
teresting and  instructive.  Among  his  fellow  workers  he 
would  have  found  true  friends.  "  Blessed  is  the  man," 
says  Carlyle,  "  who  has  found  his  work.  Let  him  ask  no 
other  blessedness." 

EXPLANATION  OF  SCRIPTURE  PASSAGES. 

Gen.  2:15.  To  dress  it:  The  Hebrew  word  translated 
"  dress "  means  to  plow,  or  to  till,  the  soil.  Prov.  6:7. 
Which  having  no  chief  .  ,  .  provideth  her  bread:  The  ants 
do  not  need  a  boss  to  keep  them  at  their  work.  Prov.  6:9. 
How  long  wilt  thou  sleep:  The  early  morning  hours  were 
especially  valuable  to  farmers  in  that  hot  climate.  It  was 
dangerous  to  work  in  the  heat  of  the  day.  This  verse  and 
the  two  following  represent  a  dialogue  between  the  wise 
man  and  the  sluggard.  Prov.  6:1L  So  shall  thy  poverty 
rome  as  a  robber:  Unexpected  and  terrifying,     Prov,  24:31 


Stvenieen  Xhe  Dignity  of  Work  97 

The  face  thereof:  The  surface,  or  the  ground  of  the  vineyard. 
Prov.  26:13.  There  is  a  Hon  in  the  v/ay:  Lions  were  found  in 
some  parts  of  Palestine,  for  example,  the  Jordan  valley; 
but  few  people  ever  saw  them.  Prov.  26:14.  As  a  door 
tumeth  upon  its  hinges:  It  can  be  swung  to  and  fro,  but  it 
cannot  be  separated  from  the  door-frame.  The  sluggard 
is  firmly  attached  to  his  bed.  Prov.  26:16.  Wiser  in  his 
own  conceit:  No  one  can  persuade  him  that  his  idleness  is 
not  the  best  kind  of  hfe.  Eph.  4:28.  Let  him  that  stole 
steal  no  more:  Paul  was  writing  this  letter  to  a  church  made 
up  chiefly  of  Gentile  converts.  The  morals  of  the  Gentile 
world  of  that  day  were  far  lower  than  those  of  the  Jews. 
For  this  reason  Paul  had  to  insist  on  the  importance  of 
common  honesty,  even  in  writing  to  Christian  converts. 

THOUGHTS  FROM  OTHER  SOURCES. 

•*  For  I  think  that  the  king  of  that  country 
Comes  out  from  His  tireless  host 
And  walks  in  the  world  of  the  weary. 
As  if  He  loved  it  the  most. 

"  For  here  in  the  dirt  and  confusion, 
With  eyes  that  are  heavy  and  dim. 
He  meets  again  the  laboring  men 

Who  are  looking  and  longing  for  Him, 

**  This  is  the  gospel  of  labor. 

Ring  it,  ye  bells  of  the  kirk ! 
The  Lord  o'f  Love  came  down  from  above 
To  live  with  the  men  who  work. 

"  This  is  the  rose  that  He  planted, 
Here  in  the  thorn-cursed  soil; 
Heaven  is  blessed  with  perfect  rest, 
But  the  blessing  of  earth  is  toil." 

—  Henry  van  Dyke . 

DIRECTIONS  FOR  HOME  STUDY. 

Questions  on  the  Lesson.  Before  attempting  to  answer  these 
questions,  read  carefully  all  the  Scripture  passages  referred  to  at  the 
beginning  of  the  lesson. 

1.  What  experiences  must  the  wise  man  have  had  who  wrote  Prov 
8:9.    0? 


2.  What  had  the   sluggard   probably  been    doing,   while  his  field 
grew  to  weeds,  as  described  in  Prov.  24 :30,  3  s  ? 


98  Christian  Life  and  Conduct  ^^^^^'^ 

3.   What  are  some  modern  excuses  of  lazy  people,  like  that  in  Prov, 
26:13? 


4.  What  experience  might  have  led  the  wise  man  to  write  Prov. 
26:14? 


5.  What  may  have  been  some  pieces  of  work  which  Jesus  did 
while  He  was  a  carpenter  at  Nazareth? 


6.   Why  is  it  that  self-respecting  persons  will  not  accept  charity, 
except  as  a  last  resort?     (Note  4.) 


7.  Suppose  you  have  prepared  your  lessons  for  school,  and  you 
have  not  been  asked  to  do  anything  at  home ;  have  you  a  right  to  idle 
away  the  afternoon,  if  you  choose? 


8.  Who  is  likely  to  take  the  most  pleasure  in  his  work,  the  man 
who  continually  shirks,  or  the  man  who  works  with  all  his  might? 

Why? 


9.   Who  is  the  more  likely  to  be  promoted  to  more  interesting  and 
important  work,  the  man  who  shirks  or  the  man  who  really  works? 


10.  Give  as  many  reasons  as  you  can  for  being  industrious. 


Note-book  Work.  Bible  clippings,  as  in  previous  lessons.  Select 
a  picture  illustrating  industry,  and  paste  it  opposite  the  clippings. 
Any  of  the  following  Brown  pictures  by  Millet  would  be  appropriate : 
No.  105,  The  Angelus;  No.  705,  The  Sower;  No.  1144,  Labor;  No, 
1372.  Going  to  Work. 


Eighteen  jji^  Value  of  Contentment  99 

Lesson    18.     THE    VALUE    OF    CONTENTMENT.     The 
Evil  Results  of  Covetousness. 

Scripture  Lesson,  Ex.  20:17 ;Prov.  3:13-15;  10:2;  14:30;  16: 16;  22:1; 
23:4,  5;  30:7-9;  Eccl.  5:10-12;  Lu.  12:13-21;  Phil.  4:10-13. 

Note  1.  What  are  the  Things  Most  Worth  While?  A  girl 
had  beautiful  dark  hair.  But  she  was  jealous  of  the  admira- 
tion received  by  another  girl,  who  was  a  blonde.  So  she 
bleached  her  hair.  Was  it  worth  while?  A  young  high 
school  boy  wore  stylish  clothes.  A  classmate  got  a  position 
working  evenings,  and  earned  the  money  to  buy  a  dress  suit 
like  this  first  boy.  But  he  neglected  his  studies,  and  failed 
in  two  of  his  examinations.  Was  it  worth  while?  "  What 
is  worth  while?  "  This  is  the  most  important  question  that 
men  can  ask.  All  through  life  it  confronts  us.  The  reason 
why  people  are  envious  ancl  covetous  and  discontented  is 
because  their  desires  are  foolish  and  wrong.  They  do  not 
stop  to  consider  what  things  are  really  worth  while. 

Note  2.  The  Experience  of  the  Hebrew  People.  Through- 
out the  history  of  the  Hebrew  people  this  was  the  question 
which  led  to  their  severest  moral  struggles:  What  are  the 
things  most  worth  while?  Almost  from  the  beginning  there 
were  those  who  wanted  to  be  **  like  the  nations  round  about." 
They  thought  it  was  most  worth  while  to  be  in  style.  This 
motive  appears  in  the  story  of  the  selection  of  Saul  as  king. 
Under  Solomon,  these  people  should  have  been  satisfied,  for 
he  did  his  best  to  imitate  the  kings  of  Egypt  and  Assyria. 
He  enslaved  his  people,  enriching  himself  at  their  expense. 
He  built  a  beautiful  palace,  while  they  lived  in  hovels.  For 
the  sake  of  material  advantages,  he  formed  political  and 
religious  alliances  with  the  heathen  nations  round  about, 
and  introduced  the  worship  of  heathen  gods  in  Israel.  Ahab 
made  precisely  the  same  mistake  as  Solomon.  The  later 
prophets  brought  the  same  charge  against  the  men  of  their 
day.  Their  fellow  citizens,  they  said,  were  spending  their 
lives  in  the  pursuit  of  unimportant  and  unworthy  ends. 
"  My  people,"  says  Jeremiah,  "  have  changed  their  glory 
for  that  which  doth  not  profit."  "  Shalt  thou  reign,"  he 
says  to  king  Jehoiakim,  with  biting  sarcasm,  "  because  thou 
strivest  to  excel  in  cedar?  "  According  to  Jeremiah,  to  do 
justice,  and  to  judge  the  cause  of  the  poor  and  needy,  in 


100  Christian  Life  and  Conduct  Lesson 

short,  to  "  know  Jehovah,"  was  far  more  important  than 
to  build  fine  cedar  palaces.  The  fundamental  sin  of  the 
nation,  according  to  the  prophets,  was  this  seeking  after 
the  things  which  were  of  lesser  importance.  There  were 
many  things  which  the  Hebrews  as  a  nation  could  never 
attain.  They  could  never  gain  world-wide  dominion,  as 
the  Assyrians  and  Babylonians  had  done.  They  could  not 
hope  to  imitate  successfully  the  glories  of  Egyptian  art. 
Their  language  was  not  fitted  to  express  the  fine  distinctions 
of  philosophy,  as  was  the  language  of  the  Greeks.  But  they 
had  in  their  hearts  that  which  the  world  needed  far  more 
than  all  theise  other  things,  namely,  the  knowledge  of  the 
true  God.  The  chief  message  of  the  prophets  to  the  nation 
was  to  cherish  that  precious  gift  which  God  had  committed 
to  their  keeping,  and  if  necessary,  to  let  the  other  things  go. 
The  Hebrew  decalogue  differs' from  all  other  legal  codes, 
in  the  fact  that  it  forbids  wrong  desires,  as  well  as  wrong 
acts.  It  thus  recognizes  the  fundamental  importance  of 
desire  in  the  sight  of  God.  What  we  most  earnestly  desire, 
that  is  what  we  really  are.  *'  Make  us  desire  the  best  things," 
prayed  a  young  member  of  a  Christian  Endeavor  society. 
She  could  not  have  offered  a  wiser  prayer.  The  decalogue 
forbids  coveting  that  which  belongs  to  others.  Such  covet- 
ousness  is  dishonest.  But  it  is  also  wrong,  even  though  not 
dishonest,  to  set  our  whole  hearts  on  things  which  are  not 
worth  while.  All  unworthy  desires  are  wrong.  Out  of  this 
false  estimate  of  the  value  of  things  really  unimportant 
sprang  many  of  the  evils  which  the  wise  men  observed.  One 
man  had  perhaps  inherited  wealth,  or  social  position ;  another 
man  found  these  things  out  of  his  reach,  and  fretted  away 
his  Hfe  in  envy.  How  much  better,  thought  the  wise  men, 
to  be  content  with  one's  lot ! 

"  A  tranquil  heart  is  the  life  jf  the  flesh, 
But  envy  is  rottenness  to  the  bones." 

Others  devoted  their  lives  to  the  attainment  of  wealth,  and 
were  successful,  but  at  how  great  cost!  In  their  worMly 
prosperity,  they  forgot  God.  Thus  the  wise  men  echoed 
the  teaching  of  the  prophets,  that  the  knowledge  of  God  was 
the  one  thing  worth  while.  The  chief  evil  of  covetousness 
is  that  it  keeps  us  from  knowing  God. 


Eigkieen  xhe  Value  of  Contentment  101 

Note  3.  The  Teaching  of  Jesus.  "  Seek  ye  first  God's 
kingdom,"  Jesus  said.  On  this  point. He  was  insistent.  To 
the  brothers  who  came  to  Him  in  our  lesson  story,  He  pointed 
out  their  fatal  mistake.  **  A  man's  life  consisteth  not  in 
the  abundance  of  the  things  which  he  possesseth."  Not 
what  you  have,  but  what  you  are,  is  the  essential  thing.  The 
rich  man  whose  whole  life  was  absorbed  in  heaping  up  wealth 
finally  cheated  himself.  Pitiable  fool  that  he  was,  he  had 
starved  his  own  soul,  in  the  midst  of  his  great  possessions. 
In  another  parable,  Jesus  tells  of  a  man  who  found  buried 
treasure  while  digging  in  a  field.  "  In  his  joy  he  goeth  and 
selleth  all  that  he  hath,  and  buyeth  that  field."  He  sold 
his  cottage,  we  may  imagine ;  sold  all  his  little  trinkets ;  sold 
even  the  bread  out  of  his  cupboard,  and  the  coat  off  his  back. 
People  doubtless  said,  **  You  must  be  crazy."  But  he  was 
only  exercising  common  sense.  The  hid  treasure  was  worth 
all  these  things,  and  more  beside.  In  the  same  way,  a  mer- 
chant sold  all  that  he  had,  to  buy  an  exceedingly  valuable 
pearl.  A  righteous  character,  Jesus  means.  Seek  this,  and 
do  not  waste  your  life  seeking  for  things  of  less  value.  He 
would  have  us  be  contented  in  the  good  sense  of  that  word ; 
not  contented  with  our  own  unworthy  characters,  but  con- 
tented with  the  gifts  which  God  has  given  us,  even  though 
we  do  not  have  some  of  the  lesser  blessings  which  others  have. 

Note  4.  Application  to  our  Lives.  God  has  appointed 
for  each  one  of  us  a  work  to  do,  which  no  one  else  can  do. 
This  is  as  true  of  the  humblest  individual  as  it  was  of  the 
Hebrew  people.  In  doing  that  work,  we  shall  be  expressing 
a  thought  of  God  which  otherwise  will  eternally  remain 
unexpressed.  In  comparison  with  so  great  an  honor,  how 
foolish  of  us  to  be  envious  of  the  gifts  and  opportunities  of 
others,  and  how  wicked  of  us  to  spend  our  energies  in  un- 
worthy ways  and  thus  be  untrue  to  God's  commission. 

A  youth  was  approached  by  his  good  Genius  with  two 
baskets  on  her  arm.  One  she  held  out  before  him.  In  it 
were  money,  athletic  achievement,  intellectual  power,  good 
health,  worthy  friendships,  and,  best  of  all,  an  upright  charac- 
ter intended  specially  for  him.  "  Help  yourself,"  she  said. 
The  youth  stood  irresolute.  Finally  he  reached  toward 
the  other  basket.  In  it  were  good  looks,  musical  skill,  clever 
wit,  and  social  position.     "Oh,  but  these  were  not  intended 


102  Christian  Life  and  Conduct  Lesson 

for  you,"  said  the  Genius.  Whereupon  the  youth  fell  into 
a  grievous  sulk.  At  last  the  visitor  said,  "  Make  haste  and 
choose,  for  I  must  be  going."  The  youth  thereupon  began 
to  snatch  what  he  could.  He  would  have  money,  he  would 
have  intellectual  power,  he  would  have  this  and  that  besides. 
Greedily  he  filled  his  arms.  Then  he  saw  that  there  were 
still  in  the  basket  health,  friendship,  and  the  upright  character 
which  were  to  have  been  his.  But  he  had  no  room  for  these 
things. 

EXPLANATION  OF  SCRIPTURE  PASSAGES. 

Prov.  14:30.  Rottenness  of  the  bones:  Physical  weakness 
and  disease.  Prov.  22:1.  A  good  name:  This  means  a  good 
character  with  the  resulting  good  reputation.  Prov.  23:4. 
Cease  from  thine  own  wisdom:  A  better  translation  is, 
**  Cease  by  reason  of  thine  own  understanding  "  (A.  R.  V. 
margin) ;  that  is,  Use  your  wisdom  to  see  how  useless  it  is 
to  weary  yourself  in  toiling  for  such  a  delusive  thing  as  riches. 
Prov.  23:5.  That  which  is  not:  That  which  so  quickly  van- 
ishes, that  it  might  as  well  not  exist.  Prov.  30:9.  Lest 
I  be  full,  and  deny  thee:  The  man  who  is  too  prosperous  is  in 
danger  of  forgetting  God.  It  is  the  sense  of  need  which  im- 
pels us  to  seek  God.  Use  profanely  the  name  of  my  God: 
That  is,  bring  God's  name  into  disrepute,  through  stealing. 
Eccl.  5:10.  Vanity:  Literally,  "  Emptiness."  Riches  are 
not  worth  the  efforts  men  put  forth  to  gain  them.  Eccl. 
5:11.  When  goods  increase,  they  are  increased  that  eat  them: 
With  wealth  come  increasing  demands  for  expenditure,  a 
larger  household,  more  calls  for  charity,  and  the  like.  Lu. 
12:14.  Who  made  me  a  judge  or  a  divider  over  you:  Jesus' 
mission  was  not  to  pronounce  on  the  right  and  wrong  of  special 
cases,  but  to  enable  men,  through  His  teachings,  to  decide 
such  questions  for  themselves.  Lu.  12:16.  A  certain  rich 
man:  Jesus  does  not  mean  by  this  parable  that  it  is  always 
wrong  to  be  rich,  but  that  it  is  wrong  to  make  the  selfish 
enjoyment  of  riches  one's  chief  aim  in  life.  Lu.  12:21.  Rich 
toward  God:  Rich  in  character,  which  is  the  thing  truly 
valuable  in  God's  sight.  Phil.  4:10.  Your  thought  for  me: 
Paul  was  in  prison  at  Rome.  In  those  days  prisoners  had 
to  buy  their  own  food  and  clothing,  and  Paul  had  suffered 
because  he  had  httle  money.  But  now  his  friends  in  Philippi 
had  sent  one  of  their  number,  a  man  named  Epaphroditus, 


Eighteen  Xhe  Value  of  Contentment  103 

with  a  contribution  for  Paul.  It  was  partly  to  thank  them 
that  Paul  wrote  this  letter.  Phil.  4:11.  Not  that  I  speak 
in  respect  of  want:  I  am  not  complaining  because  I  was  in 
want. 

THOUGHTS  FROM  OTHER  SOURCES. 
"  There  is  a  time  in  every  man's  education,  when  he  arrives  at  the 
conviction  that  envy  is  ignorance;  that  imitation  is  suicide;  that  he 
must  take  him.self  for  better  or  worse  as  his  portion;  that,  though 
the  wide  universe  is  full  of  good,  no  kernel  of  nourishing  corn  can 
come  to  him  but  through  his  toil  bestowed  on  that  plot  of  ground 
which  is  given  to  him  to  till." — Emerson. 

"  The  common  problem,  yours,  mine,  every  one's. 
Is,  not  to  fancy  what  were  fair  in  life, 
Provided  it  could  be — but  finding  first 
What  may  be,  then  find  how  to  make  it  fair 
Up  to  our  means ;  a  very  different  thing ! 
My  business  is  not  to  remake  myself, 
But  make  the  absolute  best  of  what  God  made." 

— Browning. 

"  I  said  it  in  the  valley  path, 

I  say  it  on  the  mountain  stairs : 
The  best  things  any  mortal  hath 

Are  those  which  every  mortal  shares. 

**  The  grass  is  softer  to  my  tread 

For  rest  it  yields  unnumbered  feet; 
Sweeter  to  me  the  wild  rose  red 

Because  it  makes  the  whole  world  sweet." 

— Lucy  Larcom. 

DIRECTIONS  FOR  HOME  STUDY. 

Questions  on  the  Lesson.  Before  attempting  to  answer  xnese 
questions,  read  carefully  all  the  Scripture  passages  referred  to  at  the 
beginning  of  the  lesson. 

1.  What  are  some  of  the  things  more  valuable  than  riches,  accord- 
ing to  the  wise  men?     (Prov.  3:13-15;  10:2;  16:16;  22:1;  30:7-9.) 


2.  What  are  some  of  the  disadvantages  of  riches?     (Prov,  23:4,  5; 
Eccl.  5:10.)  ^ 


3.  What  is  to  be  said   of  the  advantages  and  disadvantages  of 
poverty?     (Prov.  30:9;  Eccl.  5: 12.) 


104  Christian  Lij'^  and  Conduct  Lesson 

4.  Is  it  reasonable  to  infer  from  these  proverbs  that  one  should 
make  no  effort  to  acquire  money  ? 


5.  Did  Jesus  mean  to  teach  that  we  are  net  to  protect  ourselves 
from  being  cheated  in  money  matters?     (Lu.  12:13-15.) 


6.  What  experience  had  the  wise  man  who  wrote  Prov.  23 : 4,  5  prob- 
ably had  ? 


7.  In  the  same  way,  describe  the  kind  of  experience  which  probably 
lies  back  of  Prov.  30:7-9. 


8.  In  what  order  of  importance  would  you  place  the  following 
things:  health,  great  physical  strength,  intellectual  ability,  money 
sufficient  to  live  in  comfort,  power  to  appreciate  music,  power  to  win 
and  retain  friendship. 


9.  What  would  you  say  is  the  thing  in  life  of  greatest  worth? 


Note-book  Work.  Paste  in  the  lesson  clippings.  Write  an  essay 
on  money,  considering  especially  whether  it  may  not  be  a  worthy 
ambition'  for  some  persons  to  become  rich-  What  good  could  such 
persons  do? 


mnetem  7/^^  poUy  ^f  Boastjulness  105 

Lesson    19.      THE   FOLLY   OF   BOASTFULNESS.      Ancient 
Estimates  of  Pride. 

Scripture  Lesson,  Prov.  11:2;  16:18;  22:4;  26:12;  27:2;  29:23; 
Mt.  5:3,  5;  Lu.  14:7-11. 

Note  1.  Is  Pride  Always  Wrong?  A  school-boy,  who 
ordinarily  did  good  work  in  his  studies,  one  week  brought 
home  a  report  card  with  very  low  marks.  His  mother 
reproved  him.  ''  I  should  think  you  would  have  a  little 
pride,"  she  said.  The  following  Sunday  at  church  the  minis- 
ter preached  a  sermon  against  pride.  The  boy  was  confused, 
and  no  wonder.  We  all  hear  people  say  things  about  pride 
and  humility,  which  seem  contradictory.  One  day  we  hear 
a  person  praised  for  his  modesty;  the  next  day  we  are  ex- 
horted to  be  self-reliant,  to  have  faith  in  our  own  powers;  in 
short,  to  think  more  highly  of  ourselves,  or  apparently  to  be 
more  proud.  Let  us  see  if  we  can  understand  a  little  more 
clearly  what  kind  of  pride  is  right  and  proper,  and  what 
kind  is  wrong  and  harmful.* 

Note  2.  The  Teachings  of  the  Wise  Men.  "  Pride  goeth 
before  destruction;  "  this  is  the  gist  of  the  teachings  of  the 
Book  of  Proverbs  on  this  subject.  We  can  easily  imagine 
the  experiences  which  led  the  wise  men  to  the  conviction 
that  some  kinds  of  pride  lead  to  destruction.  A  young  man 
undertakes  to  manage  a  farm,  near  Jerusalem  or  Hebron. 
His  father  is  dead,  and  the  responsibility  falls  on  his  shoulders. 
An  old  neighbor  stops  for  a  visit  one  day,  and  notices  that 
the  sheep  do  not  seem  healthy.  The  old  man  ventures  a 
friendly  word  of  advice  regarding  the  care  of  sheep.  The 
young  man  tilts  his  chin  in  the  air.  He  guesses  he  knows 
how  to  run  this  farm.  When  he  needs  advice,  he  will  ask 
for  it.  So  the  old  man  goes  away  offended.  By  and  by  the 
young  man's  sheep  all  die,  and  he  and  his  family  are  reduced 
to  poverty.  Or  perhaps  a  man  sets  up  a  store  or  bazaar,  in 
Jerusalem.  He  has  silks,  or  spices,  or  perfumes  to  sell.  But 
he  is  haughty  in  his  bearing.  He  speaks  contemptuously 
to  his  fellow  tradesmen  and  even  to  his  customers.  He  makes 
enemies.  People  do  not  like  to  buy  things  at  his  bazaar. 
When  he  gets  into  business  difhculties  and  needs  to  borrow 
money,  no  one  wants  to  lend  him  any.  So,  finally  he  fails 
in  business.     Another  young  man  begins  to  associate  with 


106  Christian  Life  and  Condtia  Lesson 

wild  and  drunken  companions.  He  is  warned  by  those  who 
are  older  and  wiser  than  he.  His  father  and  mother  plead 
with  him.  But  he  only  laughs  at  their  counsel;  he  thinks 
'*  the  old  man  "  is  foolish;  that  he  himself  is  old  enough  now 
to  do  as  he  pleases.  By  and  by  the  gang  with  whom  he  has 
been  associating  attempt  a  robbery,  and  all  connected  with 
it,  including  this  young  man,  are  punished.  The  wise  men 
must  have  observed  such  incidents  as  these,  for  besides  our 
lesson  references,  there  are  many  other  passages  in  the  Book 
of  Proverbs  which  counsel  humility  and  warn  against  pride. 

Note  3.  The  Teaching  and  Example  of  Jesus.  "  Every 
one  that  exalteth  himself  shall  be  humbled;  and  he  that 
humble th  himself  shall  be  exalted."  This  seems  to  have 
been  a  favorite  saying  of  Jesus  (Mt.  18:4;  23: 12;  Lu.  18:14). 
In  the  parable  referred  to  in  our  Scripture  lesson,  he  shows 
one  reason  why  it  is  wiser  to  be  modest.  Through  vanity 
and  self-conceit,  we  lose  the  good-will  of  our  fellow  men. 
In  the  first  and  third  of  the  beatitudes,  Jesus  tells  us  that 
humility  is  both  essential  to  worldly  success  and  fundamen- 
tally necessary  in  our  attitude  toward  God. 

In  the  personality  of  Jesus  there  was  a  most  remarkable 
blending  of  self-assertion  and  humility.  He  "  taught  them 
as  having  authority,  and  not  as  the  scribes."  With  the 
dignity  of  this  conscious  authority.  He  set  aside  the  traditions 
of  the  elders,  and  even  certain  injunctions  of  the  law  of 
Moses.  "  Ye  have  heard  that  it  was  said,  .  .  ,  but  I  say  unto 
you."  On  the  other  hand.  He  said  of  Himself,  "  Learn  of 
me ;  for  I  am  meek  and  lowly  in  heart."  And  these  adjectives 
the  world  has  accepted  as  fitting.  "  The  meek  and  lowly 
Nazarene,"  that  is  one  of  the  descriptions  which  is  most 
frequently  applied  to  Him.  It  would  seem,  therefore,  that 
we  also,  if  we  would  live  as  true  disciples  of  Jesus,  must  learn 
to  combine  in  our  lives  the  right  kind  of  humility  and  the 
right  kind  of  pride. 

Note  4.  The  Difference  between  Proper  Self-esteem  and 
Harmful  Pride.  As  we  saw  in  the  preceding  lesson,  each 
person  has  a  unique  work  to  do  in  the  world.  He  must  there- 
fore to  his  "  own  self  be  true."  There  must  be  times  when 
he  rejects  the  advice  of  his  friends,  however  well-meant,  and 
asserts  his  own  individuality.     He  must  recognize  the  fact 


Nineteen  jhe  Folly  of  Boostfulness  107 

that  he  has  an  individuaHty  of  his  own,  and  take  pride  in 
the  honor  God  has  bestowed  upon  him.  On  the  other  hand, 
notice  the  expression  we  have  used;  the  honor  which  God 
**  has  bestowed."  All  that  we  have  and  are  comes  from  God. 
Furthermore,  we  are  not  only  absolutely  dependent  upon 
God,  we  are  also  dependent  in  countless  ways  upon  our  fellow 
men.  We  cannot  do  our  work  unless  they  help  us.  We  can- 
not be  developed  to  the  full  extent  of  our  powers  unless  they 
counsel,  encourage  and  inspire  us.  The  man  who  loses  sight 
of  this  dependence  upon  his  fellow  men,  and  upon  God,  shuts 
himself  off  from  all  good.  Furthermore,  the  man  who  in  any 
respect  is  successful  in  life,  niust  never  forget  that  the  part 
played  by  his  own  will-power  is  very  small ;  God  only  knows 
how  large,  or  how  small.  Other  men  have  helped  him  to 
be  what  he  is.  For  this  reason,  the  very  greatest  men,  such 
as  Milton  or  Handel  or  Lincoln,  were  never  puffed  up  by  the 
praise  of  their  fellow  men.  Handel,  in  speaking  of  the  way 
he  composed  The  Messiah,  declared  that  the  music  of  the 
angels  was  ringing  in  his  ears,  and  that  he  only  wrote  down 
the  notes.  In  short,  we  ought  indeed  to  think  very  highly 
of  our  lives  as  having  each  its  own  place  in  God's  great 
universe ;  but  we  ought  to  be  very  humble  in  our  estimate  of 
what  we  are  in  ourselves,  alone  and  unaided. 

In  this,  as  in  all  other  cases  where  the  first  person  singular 
comes  into  collision  with  the  other  persons  in  the  grammar 
of  life,  the  way  to  a  reconciliation  is  through  the  first  person 
plural.  I,  by  myself,  am  nothing.  You,  apart  from  your 
fellow  men,  could  not  amount  to  a  great  deal.  But  you  and 
I  and  God  together — how  proud  we  should  be  ! 

EXPLAT^ATION  OF  SCRIPTURE  PASSAGES. 
Prov.  22:4.     Humility  and  the  fear  of  Jehovah:  The  man 

who  is  unassuming  in  his  attitude  toward  other  men  will  be 
humble  and  reverent  in  his  attitude  toward  God.  Prov. 
26:12.  Wise  in  his  own  conceit:  Or,  in  a  single  word,  con- 
ceited. More  hope  of  a  fool:  The  word  fool  is  used  here  of  a 
man  intellectually  stupid,  but  not  morally  wilful.  Mt.  5:3. 
Poor  in  spirit:  Not  poor-spirited,  or  mean-spirited,  but  simply 
humble.  The  man  who  is  poor  in  spirit  recognizes  his  absolute 
dependence  on  God.  Lu.  14:7.  Unto  those  that  were  bidden: 
That  is,  to  the  "  house  of  one  of  the  rulers  of  the  Pharisees  " 
(14:1).     The  chief  seats:  The  Talmud  says  that  on  a  couch 


108  Christian  Life  and  Conduct 


Lesson 


holding  three,  the  middle  place  is  the  most  honorable,  the 
left  next,  and  the  right  is  the  least  honorable. 

THOUGHTS  FROM  OTHER  SOURCES. 

Why  gaze  they  so?  And  there  is  in  their  eyes 
What  something  seems  of  wondering  amaze. 
And  one  to-day,  as  I  drew  near  to  raise 

His  aching  head,  choked  in  their  midst  his  sighs. 

And  started  as  one  who,  all  unwarned,  descries 
Some  prodigy  above,  and  in  a  daze, 
Fixed  past  my  bending  countenance  his  gaze : 

I  lifted  up  my  look — all  smooth  the  skies. 

Perchance  long  looking  do\vnward  upon  men 
Has  left  mine  eyes  no  longer  keen  and  clear 

For  signs  and  portents  in  the  sky — but  then. 
The  skies  gleam  far  away — men  suffer  near. 

The  weary  must  be  helped,  the  huna^ry  fed — 

Sir,  you  mistake!     A  nimbus  'round  my  head? 

— C.  DuFay  Robertson. 

DIRECTIONS  FOR  HOME  STUDY. 

Questions  on  the  Lesson.  Before  attempting  to  answer  these 
questions,  read  carefully  all  the  Scripture  passages  referred  to  at  the 
beginning  of  the  lesson. 

1.  What  were  probably  some  of  the  reasons  why  the  wise  men 
warned  against  pride?     (Note  2.) 


2.   What  experience  had  the  wise  man  had  who  wrote  Prov.  27 : 2  ? 


3.   Do  you  think  humility  means  to  be  always  depreciating  oneself? 
Why  not? 


4.   We  sometimes  hear  the  expression  "  a  self-made  man  ";  explain 
v;hy  no  one  is  ever  wholly  a  self-made  man. 


5.  Mention  some  of  the  good  influences  to  which  most  of  us  are  in- 
debted for  whatever  we  may  have  attained,  either  intellectually  or 
morally. 


^"'^^  The  Brotherhood  of  Man  109 

G,  Which  is  least  unreasonable,  to  be  proud  of  one's  good  looks; 
or  of  one's  musical  voice;  or  one's  musical  skill;  or  one's  high  marks 
in  school? 


7.   Why  is  it  not  only  unreasonable  but  wrong  to  boast  about  any 
natural  gift,  or  even  about  any  of  our  achievements  ? 


8.  Mention,  if  you  can,  an  example  of  an  occasion  when  advice  should 
be  followed. 


9.  Mention   an   example   of  an   occasion  when  well-meant  advice 
should  not  be  followed. 


Note-book  Work.  Paste  in  the  lesson  clippings.  Write  a  brief 
character  sketch  of  Uriah  Heep,  in  Dickens'  David  Copperfleld.  Why 
is  it  that  Uriah's  humility  is  so  repulsive? 


Lesson    20.    THE    BROTHERHOOD    OF    MAN.    The 
Growth  of  an  Ideal. 

Scripture  Lesson,  Deut.  10: 19;  23: 19,  20 ;  Jonah  ch.  1 ;  2: 10—4: 11. 

Note  1 .     Are  Americans  the  only  People  whom  God  Loves  ? 

Two  little  Italian  boys,  one  Sunday,  came  to  an  American 
Sunday  school.  The  superintendent  received  them  kindly, 
and  assigned  them  to  a  class.  The  pupils,  however,  did 
not  speak  to  them ;  the  superintendent  found  it  difficult  even 
to  make  room  for  the  new-comers  in  the  circle  of  chairs.  The 
next  Sunday,  all  the  American  boys  stayed  away.  "  We 
do  not  want  to  associate  with  those  dagoes,"  said  one  of 
them.  So  the  superintendent  organized  the  little  fellows 
into  a  class  of  two,  and  after  a  long  search  found  a  teacher 
for  them.  But  the  American  boys  threw  stones  at  them, 
as  they  came  and  went,  and  did  all  they  could  to  frighten 
them  and  make  them  wretched.     Finally  the  Italian  boys 


110  ehristian  Life  and  Conduct  ^^^^^ 

left  the  Sunday  school.  If  they  learned  anything  about  the 
Bible,  and  what  the  Bible  says  of  God  and  Christ,  they 
learned  it  elsewhere.  Did  those  American  boys  show  the 
right  spirit  in  their  actions? 

Note  2.     The  Attitude  of  the  Hebrews  toward  Foreigners. 

All  nations  are  inclined  to  be  suspicious  and  hostile  toward 
foreigners.  The  Latin  word  Jiostis,  from  which  our  word 
hostile  comes,  originally  meant  stranger,  but  later  came  to 
mean  enemy.  Not  only  among  the  Romans  but  among  all 
ancient  nations  all  strangers  were  regarded  as  enemies.  The 
early  Hebrews  were  like  all  other  nations  in  this  respect. 
According  to  Deut.  23:19,  20,  they  were  permitted  to  exact 
interest  of  a  foreigner,  although  they  were  forbidden  to  do 
so  in  the  case  of  fellow  Israelites.  On  the  other  hand,  the 
Hebrews  made  much  of  the  virtue  of  hospitality;  and  there 
are  many  laws  in  the  Old  Testament,  like  Deut.  10: 19,  which 
forbid  injustice  toward  foreigners  (see  Lesson  9). 

To  the  Jews,  in  the  later  years  of  their  history,  the  question 
of  a  right  attitude  toward  foreigners  came  to  have  a  deep 
interest.  In  the  first  place,  they  gradually  realized  that  they 
were  in  some  sense  God's  chosen  people ;  that  the  true  God  had 
revealed  Himself  to  them  in  their  religion  as  He  had  not  re- 
vealed Himself  to  other  nations.  When  they  compared  their 
own  worship  of  Jehovah,  which  they  had  learned  from  Moses 
and  the  prophets,  with  the  senseless  and  degrading  idolatry  of 
other  nations,  it  was  natural  that  they  should  despise  these 
idolaters.  Furthermore,  after  having  been  cruelly  oppressed 
for  many  centuries  by  some  of  these  nations,  there  grew  up 
in  the  Jew  a  feeling  for  all  foreigners  not  only  of  contempt,  but 
of  intense  hatred.  This  feeling  is  well  expressed  in  Ps.  137 : 8,  9, 
where  the  author  in  his  bitter  invective  against  Babylon, 
exclaims : 

"  Happy  shall  he  be,  that  taketh  and  dasheth  thy  little  ones 
Against  the  rock." 

Note  3.  The  Message  of  the  Book  of  Jonah.  There  were 
a  few  noble  souls,  however,  among  the  Jews  after  the  exile, 
who  believed  that  Jehovah  was  too  great  and  good  to  make 
a  favorite  or  pet  of  any  tribe  or  nation.  God  must  care  for 
other  nations  besides  Israel,  they  said.  God  revealed  Him- 
self to  Israel,  not  for  Israel's  sake  only,  but  that  Israel  might 
be  a  missionary  nation  revealing  the  true  God  to  the  whole 


The  Brotherhood  of  Man  111 

world.  Among  these  nobler  souls  was  the  author  of  the 
Book  of  Jonah.  Most  scholars  now  believe  that  this  book 
is  not  to  be  taken  as  literal  history,  but  as  a  story  illustrating 
religious  truth.  Whether  we  take  it  as  history  or  not,  the 
main  purpose  of  the  author  in  writing  it  was  to  teach  that 
God  loves  all  men ;  that  just  as  God  sent  Jonah  to  preach  to 
the  people  of  Nineveh,  so  He  has  sent  His  people  Israel  to 
tell  all  nations  about  Him ;  that  all  men  everywhere,  of  what- 
ever race,  have  in  them  possibilities  for  good,  and  will  respond 
to  God's  message  with  heartfelt  repentance;  that,  in  short, 
all  men  are  brothers,  children  of  the  one  God  of  love. 

Note  4.  Application  to  our  Lives.  If  the  Book  of  Jonah 
had  been  written  yesterday,  it  could  not  have  a  more  practical 
application  to  our  lives  here  in  America  to-day.  We  share 
with  the  Hebrews  the  common  temptation  to  dislike  people 
of  other  races  and  nationalities.  Our  prejudice  is  often  very 
strong,  even  when  we  realize  that  there  is  no  ground  for  it. 

"  I  do  not  Uke  you.  Dr.  Fell, 
The  reason  why,  I  cannot  tell." 

Furthermore,  like  the  ancient  Hebrews,  we  have  an  intense 
national  pride.  We  think  that  our  civilization  is  the  finest 
the  world  has  ever  seen.  As  Christians  we  believe  that  we 
have  inherited  from  Israel  and  Israel's  Christ  the  true  religion. 
Like  the  Jews,  we  too  often  despise  people  of  other  races  as 
hopelessly  inferior.  Like  the  Jews,  moreover,  we  are  brought 
into  close  contact  with  other  races.  The  Jews  were  scattered 
all  over  the  world.  The  world  has  immigrated  to  America, 
and  settled  down  just  around  the  corner  from  us.  It  is  a 
serious  question  with  us,  as  it  was  with  the  Jews,  How  shall 
we  feel  toward  these  people,  and  how  shall  we  treat  them.? 
The  author  of  the  Book  of  Jonah  says,  **  Treat  them  as 
brothers.  God  loves  them  just  as  He  loves  you.  He  has 
blessed  you  in  order  that  you  may  bless  them.  From  the 
goodness  and  mercy  they  see  in  you,  their  human  brothers, 
they  should  learn  about  the  goodness  and  mercy  of  God, 
their  heavenly  Father." 

Two  Chinese  laundrymen  opened  a  shop  down  on  the 
lower  East  Side  in  New  York  City.  They  were  much  an- 
noyed by  young  rowdies  who  hved  near  by,  and  who  took 
delight  in  tormenting  these  **  Chinks,"  as  they  called  them. 
One  morning  a  lady  came  in  to  leave  a  bundle  of  laundry, 


ilj  Christian  Life  and  Conduct 

and  noticed  that  only  one  of  the  two  men  was  in  the  shop. 
"  Good  morning,  John,"  said  the  lady.  *'  Where  is  the  other 
John?  "  "  He  no  come  any  more,"  was  the  reply.  "  Some 
Clistian  genlmens  hit  him  on  the  head  with  a  blick."  For- 
tunately, there  are  many  true  Christian  gentlemen  here  in 
America,  from  whom  our  Chinese  friends  get  a  far  better  idea 
of  the  real  meaning  of  Christianity. 

EXPLAKATION  OF  SCRIPTURE  PASSAGES. 
Deut  23:19.  Thou  shalt  not  lend  upon  interest  to  thy 
brother:  People  seldom  borrowed  money  in  those  days,  except 
when  they  needed  it  badly  for  the  necessities  of  life.  Hence 
it  was  regarded  as  cruel  to  make  them  pay  interest.  Jonah 
1:1.  Jonah  the  son  of  Amittai:  A  prophet  by  that  name  is 
mentioned  in  2  Ki.  14:25.  Jonah  1:2.  Arise,  go  to  Nineveh: 
At  the  time  of  the  Jonah  mentioned  in  2  Kings,  Nineveh 
was  the  greatest  city  in  the  world.  See  map  in  your  Bible. 
Jonah  1:3.  Tarshish:  Tartessus  on  the  coast  of  Spain. 
Jonah  had  been  commanded  to  go  east.  Instead,  ho  went 
as  far  west  as  the  ships  of  that  day  could  carry  him.  Joppa: 
See  map.  Found  a  ship:  Doubtless  a  Phoenician  ship.  The 
Phoenicians  were  the  sailors  in  those  days.  From  the  presence 
of  Jehovah:  Jonah  seems  to  have  thought  that  he  could  hide 
from  the  God  whom  he  was  unwilhng  to  obey.  Jonah  1:5. 
Cast  forth  the  wares:  That  is,  the  cargo,  whatever  it  was. 
To  lighten  it  unto  them:  So  that  the  ship  would  be  less  likely 
to  sink  with  them.  Jonah  1:10.  Then  were  the  men  ex- 
ceedingly afraid:  Because  of  Jonah's  description  of  his  God 
as  the  God  '*  who  made  the  sea  and  the  dry  land."  Jonah 
1:14.  Thou  .  .  .  hast  done  as  it  pleased  thee:  The  sailors 
believed  that  the  lot  fell  upon  Jonah  through  the  divine 
direction.  Jonah  3:3.  An  exceedmg  great  city  of  three 
days*  journey:  Requiring  three  days  to  walk  through  it. 
Jonah  3:5.  Sackcloth:  A  coarse  cloth.  Our  word  "  sack  " 
is  derived  through  the  Greek  from  the  Hebrew  word  saq 
here  used.  Jonah  3:7.  Neither  man  nor  beast:  The  beasts 
seem  to  have  been  made  to  share  in  the  rites  of  mourning 
in  order  to  express  more  emphatically  the  repentance  of  the 
people.  Jonah  4:4.  Doest  thou  well  to  be  angry:  Many 
scholars  prefer  the  translation  in  the  margin,  **  Art  thou 
greatly  (or  very)  angry?  "  This  is  the  kind  of  gentle  irony 
that  a  mother  might  use  with  a  pouting  child.    Jonah  4:5. 


Iv^tv  The  Brotherhood  of  Man  H3 

Made  him  a  booth:  Perhaps  a  loose  arbor  of  leaves  and  boughs. 
Till  he  might  see  what  would  become  of  the  city;  He  thought 
that  perhaps  even  yet  Jehovah  would  destroy  it.  Jonah 
4:6.  A  gourd:  The  shrub  referred  to  grows  in  Egypt.  It  has 
broad  leaves,  and  grows  very  rapidly.  It  is  now  called 
Palma  Christi.  A  shade  over  his  head:  Jonah's  booth  prob- 
ably did  not  make  a  very  good  shelter  from  the  hot  sun.  To 
deliver  him  from  his  evil  case:  Through  this  plant  Jehovah 
hoped  to  win  him  out  of  his  selfish  narrowness.  Jonah  4:7. 
A  worm  .  .  .  smote  the  gourd:  Attacked  its  roots.  Jonah 
4:8.  Fainted:  Became  faint.  Jonah  4:10.  Regard  for  the 
gourd:  Pity  for  the  gourd.  Jonah  4:11.  Persons  that  cannot 
discern  between  their  right  hand  and  their  left  hand:  This 
describes,  perhaps,  little  children. 

THOUGHTS  FROM  OTHER  SOURCES. 

"  The  crest  and  crowning  of  all  good, 
Life's  final  star,  is  Brotherhood, 
For  it  will  bring  again  to  earth, 
Her  long-lost  Poesy  and  Mirth, 
Will  send  new  light  on  every  face, 
A  kingly  power  upon  the  race ; 
And  till  it  come,  we  men  are  slaves. 
And  travel  downward  to  the  dust  of  graves. 

*'  Come,  clear  the  way,  then,  clear  the  way! 
Blind  creeds  and  kings  have  had  their  day. 
Break  the  dead  branches  from  the  path ; 
Our  hope  is  in  the  aftermath — 
Our  hope  is  in  heroic  men 
Star-led  to  build  the  world  again. 
To  this  event  the  a^es  ran ; 
Make  way  for  Brotherhood — make  way  for  Man!" 

— Edwin  Markhant. 

DIRECTIONS  FOR  HOME  STUDY. 

Questions  on  the  Lesson.  Before  attempting  to  answer  these  ques- 
tions, read  carefully  all  the  Scripture  passages  referred  to  at  the 
beginning  of  the  lesson. 

1.  Why  did  Jonah  "  rise  up  to  flee  unto  Tarshish"?     Qonah  4:2.) 


2.  What  lesson  should  Jonah  have  learned  regarding  foreigners, 
from  his  experience  with  the  heathen  mariners?     (Jonah  1 : 4-16:> 


114  Christian  Life  and  Conduct  Lesson 

3;»  What  kind  of  people  were  the  inhabitants  of  Nineveh?     (Jonah 
1:2;3:4-10.) 


4.  "  Yet  forty  days,  and  Nineveh  shall  be  overthrown."  Do  you 
think  that  Jehovah  meant  to  have  the  Ninevites  believe  that  He  would 
destroy  Nineveh,  whether  they  repented  or  not?  Do  you  suppose 
Jonah  told  them  exactly  what  Jehovah  wanted  them  to  hear? 


5.  Can  you  explain  why  Jonah  was  angry  when  Jehovah  showed 
mercy  to  Nineveh? 


6.  Do  you  imagine  that  there  was  a  selfish  reason  for  Jonah's  pity 
of  the  gourd?     (Jonah  4:6-10.) 


7.  To  how  many  of  God's  creatures  does  His  love  extend?     (Jonah 
4:11.) 


8.  In  the  light  of  this  book,  how  would  you  answer  a  man  who  said, 
"  I  do  not  believe  in  foreign  missions  "? 


9.  How  would  Jonah  have  treated  the  Italian  boys  referred  to  in 
Note  1  ?  How  would  the  author  of  the  Book  of  Jonah  have  treated 
them  ? 


10.  Suppose  these  boys  had  been  negroes,  instead  of  Italians,  how 
would  the  author  of  the  Book  of  Jonah  have  treated  them.'' 


Note-book  Work.  Give  one  or  two  examples  of  actions  which 
express  the  spirit  of  brotherhood,  and  about  whi^.h  you  yourself  have 
known. 

Memory  Work.     Prov.  3 : 1-26. 


Twenty-one  Suffering  for  Others  115 

Lesson  21.     SUFFERING  FOR  OTHERS.     The  Highest  Form 

of  Service. 

Scripture  Lesson,  Is.  42:1-4;  52:13 — 53:12. 

Note  1.  Was  it  Fair?  "  Be  careful  and  spend  as  little 
money  as  you  can,  George,"  said  a  father  to  his  son  who  was 
going  away  to  school.  "  You  know  I  want  your  sister  Marion 
to  continue  her  violin  lessons,  and  we  must  all  be  as  economical 
as  possible."  But  when  George  began  to  get  acquainted  with 
his  schoolmates,  he  found  that  there  were  more  ways  of  spend- 
ing money  than  he  had  supposed.  Before  three  months  had 
passed,  he  had  squandered  a  sum  which  should  have  been 
sufficient  for  the  expenses  of  the  entire  year.  "  I  will  have  to 
write  George  to  come  home,"  s^id  the  father  in  the  family 
council  at  home.  "  I  cannot  afford  to  send  him  any  more 
money."  Then  Marion  spoke  up:  "It  seems  too  bad  that 
George  cannot  finish  the  year,"  she  said.  "  Let  me  give  up 
my  violin  lessons  for  the  next  six  months,  and  send  him  the 
money."  So  George  stayed  at  school,  and  Marion  dropped 
her  music  until  another  year.  A  few  days  later  Aunt  Mary 
came  to  the  house  and  was  told  about  the  matter.  She  was 
inclined  to  be  indignant.  "  That  is  not  fair,"  she  said. 
"  Marion  should  not  have  given  up  her  lessons.  She  has  as 
much  right  to  her  musical  education  as  George  has  to  go 
away  to  school.  Let  George  suffer  for  his  own  foolishness." 
Was  Aunt  Mary  right?  Suppose  you  had  been  in  Marion's 
place;  would  you  have  done  as  she  did,  or,  on  the  contrary, 
would  you  have  felt  that  it  was  your  duty  to  go  on  with  your 
music  lessons  as  diligently  and  as  enthusiastically  as  possible? 

Note  2.     Undeserved  Suffering  among  the  Hebrews.     In  the 

year  586  b  c.  the  city  of  Jerusalem  was  captured  by  Nebu- 
chadrezzar, king  of  Babylon.  The  temple  was  destroyed,  the 
walls  torn  down,  and  the  city  left  in  ruins.  Large  numbers 
of  the  inhabitants  were  carried  away  as  captives  to  Babylon. 
It  was  a  blow  from  which  the  Hebrew  people  were  long  in 
recovering.  A  few  refugees  soon  crept  back  and  began  to 
rebuild  the  city.  After  about  seventy  years,  with  the  help 
of  returned  exiles  from  Babylon,  a  new  temple  building  was 
erected  on  the  old  site ;  and  at  this  time  there  were  great  hopes 
that  the  nation  would  soon  have  its  own  king  again,  and  that 
prosperity  would  return.     But  these  hopes  were  not  realized. 


116  Christian  Life  and  Conduct  Lesson 

The  people  remained  poor  and  weak.  They  were  unable  to 
throw  off  the  Persian  yoke.  They  were  surrounded  by  bitter 
enemies  like  the  Edomites  and  the  Moabites,  and  were  unable 
to  protect  themselves  from  their  murderous  raids  since  the 
walls  were  still  in  ruins.  It  was  a  dark  and  discouraging 
period  in  their  history. 

These  misfortunes  were  chiefly  due  to  the  past  sins  of  the 
Hebrew  people.  But  not  all  of  them  were  wicked  sinners. 
Isaiah  and  Jeremiah  had  not  lived  in  vain.  They  had  won 
many  converts,  and  those  converts  had  been  active  in  spread- 
ing the  truths  taught  by  their  great  teachers.  They  prob- 
ably met  together  on  the  Sabbath,  as  Christians  meet  in  their 
churches.  At  their  meetings  they  explained  the  teachings 
of  the  prophets,  and  worshiped  with  prayers  and  hymns.  It 
was  a  band  of  upright,  loyal  men  and  women.  We  might 
call  them  the  Christians  of  their  day.  Yet  these  faithful  souls 
not  only  shared  in  the  misfortunes  which  had  befallen  their 
nation,  but  they  were  bitterly  persecuted  by  their  own 
countrymen.  Most  of  their  members  were  poor.  Indeed, 
they  were  often  referred  to  as  "  the  poor,"  or  "  the  poor  and 
needy."  They  were  unable  to  protect  themselves  from  the 
cruelty  of  their  m.ore  powerful  neighbors.  The  twenty-second 
psalm  expresses  the  wretchedness  which  they  sometimes  felt. 
Could  their  whole  story  be  told,  it  might  be  almost  as  thrilling 
as  that  of  the  early  Christians  under  the  Roman  emperors. 
Was  it  just?  This  was  the  question  which  forced  itself  upon 
their  minds.  Their  persecutors,  who  treated  God's  law  with 
contempt,  were  the  most  prosperous  men  in  the  city.  "  How 
can  God  be  just,"  they  asked,  "  and  yet  permit  such  injustice 
to  go  unpunished?  Why  does  God  allow  us  to  suffer,  while 
wicked  men  flourish?" 

Note  3.  The  Message  of  the  Second  Isaiah.  The  last  part  of 
the  Book  of  Isaiah  (chs.  40-66)  was  probably  written  during 
this  period.  The  author's  name  we  do  not  know.  He  is 
generally  referred  to  as  the  "  Second  Isaiah,"  or  "  the  Great 
Prophet  of  the  Exile."  His  purpose  in  writing  these  chapters 
was  to  comfort  the  persecuted  ones  whom  we  have  described. 
To  their  question,  "Why  does  God  allow  us  to  suffer?"  he 
answered,  "  God  needs  you  to  tell  other  men  about  Himself. 
He  has  chosen  you  to  be  His  servant.  Through  you.  He  is 
seeking  to  teach  His  truth  not  only  to  His  people  in  Israel, 


Twenty-one  Sttffering  for  Others  117 

but  to  the  whole  world.  But  you  cannot  carry  out  this 
mission  without  suffering.  You  must  expect  to  be  misunder- 
stood, to  be  persecuted,  even  to  be  put  to  death.  Is  it  not 
worth  while  to  endure  these  things  for  the  honor  of  helping 
God  to  make  the  world  righteous?"  In  order  to  kindle  in 
his  hearers  a  greater  enthusiasm  for  this  mission,  the  prophet 
painted  a  word-picture.  We  have  it  in  the  fifty-third  chapter. 
It  may  be  entitled,  "  The  Ideal  Israelite."  Into  this  picture 
the  prophet  wrought  his  hopes  and  his  dreams,  his  most 
splendid  visions  of  goodness,  his  noblest  inspirations  after 
heroism.  He  no  doubt  hoped  that  many  of  his  hearers  might 
succeed,  in  some  measure,  in  becoming  the  kind  of  Israelite 
whom  he  had  described.  Yet  so  surpassing  was  the  loveliness 
of  the  portrait  which  he  had  painted  that  Christian  people,  in 
beholding  it,  have  always  felt  like  bowing  the  head  in  worship 
and  saying,  "  This  is  none  other  than  our  Master,  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ." 

Note  4.  We,  too,  May  Suffer  for  Others.  "  Whosoever 
would  save  his  life  shall  lose  it;  and  whosoever  shall  lose  his 
life  .  .  .  shall  save  it."  This  paradox  of  Jesus  sums  up  the 
meaning  of  our  lesson.  We  live  in  a  world  which  challenges 
us  to  be  unselfishly  heroic.  Millions  of  people  have  suffered 
that  we  might  be  benefited.  Some  of  the  pupils  who  use  this 
lesson  may  have  passed  through  Hoosac  Tunnel,  sitting  com- 
fortably in  their  seats  in  the  car.  They  probably  did  not 
realize  what  it  cost  to  make  their  journey  possible.  One 
hundred  and  ninety-five  lives  were  lost  in  the  construction  of 
Hoosac  Tunnel.  Unselfish  suffering  for  the  good  of  others  is 
not  rare.  It  is  splendidly  common.  Every  time  you  ride 
on  the  train,  the  man  in  the  engine  is  risking  his  life  for  you. 
Your  mother  risked  her  life  that  you  might  be  born.  Un- 
numbered times  since  then,  she  has  sacrificed  her  own  comfort 
and  health  for  your  sake.  In  such  a  world,  to  live  for  self 
alone  is  not  living,  but  only  existing.  Really  to  live,  means 
to  live  for  others  as  well  as  ourselves,  to  be  willing,  if  necessary, 
to  suffer  for  others. 

Occasions  for  such  unselfishness  come  to  us  all.  We  ma}^ 
not  be  called  upon  to  endure  persecution  that  others  may 
know  the  truth,  but  almost  every  day  we  have  opportunities 
to  bear  cheerfully  little  disappointments  or  troubles  for  the 
sake  of  the  home  or  the  school  to  which  we  belong.     Shall  we 


118  Christian  Life  and  Conduct 


Lesaon 


not  feel  ourselves  honored  when  such  opportunities  come,  and 
be  glad  of  the  chance  to  show  that  we,  too,  have  in  our  hearts 
the  stulf  out  of  which  heroes  are  made? 

EXPLANATION  OF  SCRIPTURE  PASSAGES. 
Is.  42:1.  Behold,  my  servant:  The  prophet  represents 
Jehovah  as  speaking  these  words  of  the  righteous  people  in 
Israel.  Sometimes  the  prophet  speaks  of  the  whole  nation 
as  Jehovah's  servant,  but  oftener  he  means  those  people  who 
are  really  trying  to  be  like  "the  ideal  Israelite."  He  will 
bring  forth  justice  to  the  Gentiles:  That  is,  he  will  teach  the 
righteous  religion  of  Israel  to  Gentile  nations.  Is.  42:2.  He 
will  not  cry,  nor  lift  up  his  voice:  The  earlier  prophets  used  to 
preach  on  the  streets.  But  their  disciples  found  that  quieter 
methods  of  teaching  were  in  the  end  more  successful.  Is.  42:3. 
A  bruised  reed  ...  a  dimly  burning  wick:  The  earlier  prophets, 
like  Amos  and  Isaiah  and  Jeremiah,  had  been  terribly  severe 
in  their  denunciations.  Their  disciples  found  that  it  was 
unwise  to  imitate  them  too  frequently  in  this  respect.  Just 
as  a  bruised  reed,  or  cane,  is  easily  broken,  just  as  a  dimly 
burning  wick  easily  flickers  out,  so  it  is  easy  to  discourage 
people  through  harsh  condemnation.  This  ideal  of  a  teacher 
was  perfectly  fulfilled  only  in  the  tenderness  of  Jesus.  Bring 
forth  justice  in  truth:  Or  better,  "  Faithfully  will  he  teach 
the  way  of  righteousness."  Is.  42:4.  He  will  not  fail:  That 
is,  he  will  not  give  up  hope.  The  isles  shall  wait  for  his  law: 
That  is,  **  Distant  lands  are  waiting  for  his  teaching."  The 
prophet  perhaps  had  in  mind  the  hundreds  of  islands  which 
dot  the  ^gean  sea.  Is.  52:13.  My  servant  shall  deal  wisely: 
Or,  better,  as  in  the  margin,  shall  prosper.  Again,  Jehovah 
is  speaking.  Is.  52:14,  15.  The  Hebrew  text  of  these  verses 
seems  to  have  been  damaged  through  the  mistakes  of  scribes. 
The  passage  should  probably  be  translated  somewhat  as 
follows : 

"  Even  as  many  were  astonished  at  him, 
So  shall  many  nations  tremble, 
Kings  shall  be  silent  before  him, 
When  what  has  not  been  told  them  they  see. 
And  what  they  have  not  heard  they  perceive." 

This  means,  just  as  in  the  past  Jehovah's  servant  David  at- 
tained a  place  of  honor  in  the  eyes  of  the  surrounding  nations, 
so  the  time  is  coming,  much  to  the  surprise  of  many    when 


Twenty-one  Suffering  for  Others  119 

Jehovah's  ideal  servant  shall  be  highly  honored  by  all  men. 
The  passage  in  parentheses  probably  belongs  between  what 
are  now  vss.  2  and  3  of  chapter  53  (see  below).  Is.  53:1. 
Who  hath  believed  our  message:  Or,  better,  as  in  margin, 
"  that  which  we  have  heard."  With  these  words  the  prophet 
brings  a  new  speaker  on  the  stage,  namely,  a  representative 
of  the  people  to  whom  Jehovah's  servant  has  been  trying  to 
teach  the  truth  of  God,  and  by  whom  he  has  been  treated  so 
unjustly.  The  arm  of  Jehovah:  That  is,  Jehovah's  power. 
Is.  53:2.  He  grew  up  before  him:  Or  better,  before  us.  As  a 
tender  plant,  and  as  a  root  out  of  a  dry  grotmd:  This  religious 
movement  (the  disciples  of  the  prophets)  seemed  small  and 
insignificant.  Who  would  suppose  that  it  could  ever  amount 
to  anything?  In  all  these  details  the  prophet  was  alluding 
to  the  experiences  of  righteous  Israelites  of  his  own  day.  It 
is  not  so  much  the  details  of  the  prophet's  picture  which  were 
fulfilled  in  the  sufferings  of  Jesus  as  the  spirit  and  purpose 
which  is  expressed  in  the  picture  as  a  whole.  He  hath  no 
form  nor  comeliness:  So,  in  our  day,  some  people  might  say 
of  a  church  which  had  no  beautiful  stained  glass  windows 
nor  pipe  organ,  it  has  '*  no  form  nor  comeliness."  After  vs.  2 
should  be  inserted  the  passage  now  in  parentheses  in  52:14, 
"  his  visage  was  so  marred,"  etc.  It  means  that  the  little 
Jewish  church  of  old  was  made  still  poorer  and  more  insig- 
nificant through  persecution  and  misfortune.  Is.  53:4.  Yet 
we  did  esteem  him  .  .  .  smitten  of  God:  In  those  days,  most 
people  supposed  that  all  misfortune  was  a  sure  sign  of  God's 
displeasure.  So  thoughtless  persons  said  of  Jehovah's  people, 
"  They  are  so  unfortunate,  they  must  be  wicked."  Is.  53:5. 
The  chastisement  of  our  peace:  Or,  "  the  chastisement  for  our 
well-being."  Is.  53:6.  Jehovah  hath  laid  on  him  the  iniquity 
of  us  all:  See  Note  3.  Is.  53:8.  This  verse  should  probably  be 
translated  somewhat  as  follows: 

**  By  an  oppressive  judgment  was  he  taken  away, 
Yet  who  of  his  generation  considered 
That  he  had  been  cut  off  out  of  the  land  of  the  living; 
For  our  transgressions  had  been  stricken  to  death." 

Many  of  those  early  disciples  doubtless  suffered  martyrdom. 
Is.  53:9.  With  a  rich  man  in  his  death:  Or,  "  With  evil-doers 
in  his  death."  The  prophet  may  have  learned  to  regard 
**  rich  man  "  as  a  synonym  for  "  evil-doer."  Many  of  the 
rich  men  of  his  day  were  evil-doers.     Is.  53:10.     When  thou 


120  Christian  Life  and  Conduct  ^*«^" 

Shalt  make  his  soul  an  offering  for  sin,  he  shall  see  his  seed: 

Or,  better,  "  Because  he  made  himself  an  offering  for  sin,  he 
shall  see  posterity."  Jehovah's  people  shall  be  rewarded; 
Jehovah  will  give  to  them  children  and  long  life.  The  pleasure 
of  Jehovah:  Jehovah's  purposes.  Is.  53:11.  In  this  verse 
also  the  Hebrew  text  has  probably  been  changed  by  scribes. 
It  should  read  somewhat  as  follows: 

**  Out  of  his  own  suffering  shall  he  see  light. 
He  shall  be  satisfied  with  his  knowledge. 
My  righteous  servant  shall  make  many  righteous, 
And  himself  will  bear  the  burden  of  their  iniquities." 

That  is,  Jehovah's  people  will  come  to  understand  the  reason 
why  He  allowed  them  to  suffer,  namely,  in  order  to  save 
others.  This  knowledge  will  comfort  them.  With  the  begin- 
ning, or  perhaps  the  middle  of  this  verse,  Jehovah  again  be- 
comes the  speaker.  Is.  53:12.  Therefore  will  I  divide  him  a 
portion  with  the  great:  This  does  not  mean  that  Jehovah's 
people  will  be,  literally,  conquerors  in  war,  but  that  they  will 
be  honored  by  all  men  as  heroes.  Made  intercession  for 
the  transgressors:  Prayed  for  the  men  who  were  persecuting 
them. 

THOUGHTS  FROM  OTHER  SOURCES. 

A  Jew  to  Jesus. 

**  O  Man  of  my  own  people,  I  alone 
Among  these  alien  ones  can  know  thy  face, 
I  who  have  felt  the  kinship  of  our  race 
Burn  in  me,  as  I  sit  where  these  intone 
Thy  praises, — those  who  striving  to  make  known 
A  God  for  sacrifice,  have  missed  the  grace 
Of  thy  sweet  human  meaning  in  its  place, 
Thou  who  art  of  our  blood-bond  and  our  own. 
Are  we  not  sharers  of  thy  Passion?     Yea, 
In  spirit  anguish  closely  by  thy  side 
We  have  drained  the  bitter  cup,  and  tortured,  felt 
With  thee  the  bruising  of  each  heavy  welt. 
In  every  land  is  our  Gethsemane, 
A  thousand  times  have  we  been  crucified." 

DIRECTIONS  FOR  HOME  STUDY. 

Questions  on  the  Lesson.  Before  writing  the  answers,  read  carefully 
all  the  Scripture  passages  referred  to  at  the  beginning  of  this  lesson. 

1.  To  whom  does  the  Second  Isaiah  apply  the  title  "  servant  of 
lehovah"? 


fwentit-one  Suffering  for  Others  121 

2.   What  great  idea  do  we  find  both  in  the  Book  of  Jonah  and  in  the 
writings  of  the  Second  Isaiah? 


3.  As  we  all  know,  the  characteristic  of  Hebrew  poetry  is  paral- 
lelism in  thought,  as  in  Ps.  24 : 7 ; 

"  Lift  up  your  heads,  O  ye  gates; 
And  be  ye  lifted  up,  ye  everlasting  doors." 

Are  the  writings  of  the  Second  Isaiah  prose  or  poetry?     See  if  you  can 
arrange  Is.  42 : 1  in  parallel  lines  of  this  kind. 


4.  Suppose  you  could  change  the  chapter  divisions  in  the  Bible, 
where  would  you  put  the  beginning  of  ch.  53? 


5.  What  experiences  probably  led  the  prophet  to  write  such  sen- 
tences as  those  in  Is.  53:3  and  53:8?  (See  Note  2;  also  Is.  42:22;  50: 
4-6;  51:7;  52:5.) 


6.  What  do  you  think  the  prophet  meant  to  show  by  putting  so 
much  of  his  description  of  the  "  Servant  "  into  the  mouth  of  the  very 
people  who  had  been  persecuting  him  ?  What  led  those  cruel  persecu- 
tors to  confess,  "All  we  like  sheep  have  gone  astray;  and  the  Lord  hath 
laid  on  him  the  iniquity  of  us  all  "? 


7.   In  the  light  of  this,  what  good  did  the  sufferings  of  those  faithful 
Hebrevv^s  do? 


8.  Is  it  wrong  to  be  unselfish  in  the  hope  of  a  future  reward?  (Be- 
fore answering  this  question,  notice  how  in  Is.  52:13  and  53:12  the 
prophet  seeks  to  persuade  the  righteous  people  of  his  day  to  keep  on 
being  unselfish.) 


9    What  verses  in  this  lesson  woula  you  select  as  the  most  beautiful ^ 


122  Christian  Life  and  Conduct  -^^^^^^ 

Note-book  Work.  In  the  teacher's  book,  this  lesson  is  printed  in  full, 
in  poetical  fonn,  and  in  a  translation  which,  in  some  places,  is  probably- 
more  correct  than  the  translation  in  our  Bibles.  Ask  your  teacher  to 
write  a  part  of  it,  for  example,  42 : 1-4,  on  the  board,  so  that  you  can 
copy  it  into  your  note-book. 

Memory  Work.     Prov.  3:1-26  (continued). 


Lesson  22.     FALSE  AND  TRUE  WORSHIP.     Ceremony  vs. 
Righteousness. 

Scripture  Lesson,  Amos  5:21-24;  Micah  6:6-8. 

Note  1.     Seeking  after  God. 

"  My  golden  spurs  now  bring  to  me, 
And  bring  to  me  my  richest  mail, 
For  to-morrow  I  go  over  land  and  sea 
In  search  of  the  Holy  Grail." 

So  cried  Sir  Launfal,  in  Lowell's  poem.  But  why  were  Sir 
Launfal  and  Sir  Galahad  and  their  fellow  knights  so  eager  to 
find  the  cup  out  of  which  Jesus  drank?  Why  did  the  people 
in  the  Middle  Ages  so  love  those  legends  of  the  quest  of  the 
Holy  Grail?  Was  it  not  because  they  longed  to  touch  some- 
thing which  Jesus  had  touched?  God  seemed  to  them  so  far 
away !  Perhaps  they  thought  of  Him  as  sitting  upon  a 
material  throne  up  in  the  sky,  and  the  sky  is  a  long  way  from 
the  earth.  Even  if  they  believed  that  God  is  everywhere, 
still  everywhere  did  not  seem  very  near  to  them.  For  they 
could  not  see  Him  or  hear  Him  or  feel  Him,  at  least  not  with 
their  physical  senses.  When  they  needed  something,  how 
could  they  be  sure  that  God  heard  their  prayers?  When 
they  were  thankful,  and  wanted  to  express  their  love  for  Him, 
how  could  they  do  anything  that  would  really  make  any  dif- 
ference to  a  Being  so  far  away?  Hence  people  used  to  dream 
of  finding  the  Holy  Grail — something  which  they  could 
actually  touch  and  handle.  It  would  seem  almost  like  touch- 
ing the  Master  Himself.  Except  in  legend,  however,  no  one 
was  ever  successful  in  this  quest.  Even  if  the  wondrous 
cup  had  been  found,  the  majority  of  men  could  never  see  it. 
Is  there  any  possible  way  in  which  you  and  I  can  come  near 
to  God,  and  in  some  sense  really  see  Him  and  touch  Him? 
Can  we,  for  example,  come  near  to  Him  in  church?     Is  this 


Twenty4wo  False  and  True  Worship  123 

the  only  way  to  come  near  to  Him?  How  does  God  wish  us 
to  worship  Him? 

Note  2.     How  the  Early  Israelites  Tried  to  Find  God.     The 

ancient  Canaanites,  who  lived  in  Palestine  before  the  Israelites 
came,  believed  that  their  gods  lived  in  certain  special  rocks 
or  trees.  And  although  they  could  not  see  the  god  himself, 
they  could  see  and  touch  the  rock  or  tree  in  which  they  be- 
lieved that  he  lived,  and  it  was  almost  like  touching  the  god. 
They  also  believed  that  when  they  burned  incense  near  these 
trees  or  rocks,  the  god  actually  smelled  the  sweet  odor  of  the 
smoke.  Whenever  they  killed  an  animal  to  eat,  such  as  a 
sheep  or  cow,  they  would  burn  certain  portions  on  these  rocks, 
or  under  these  trees,  and  would  eat  the  rest  themselves.  They 
believed  that  the  god  of  the  place  somehow  actually  ate  the 
portion  burned  for  him;  and  it  seemed  as  though  they  were 
really  eating  dinner  with  their  god.  They  had  several  great 
religious  feasts  every  year,  when  all  the  people  in  each  village 
or  city  would  com.e  to  the  holy  place  for  a  great  banquet  with 
their  god.  Whenever  they  were  in  trouble  of  any  kind,  and 
thought  their  god  might  help  them,  they  would  bring  him 
special  gifts  of  wine  or  food. 

When  the  Israelites  settled  in  Canaan,  they  learned  to 
think  and  act  in  much  the  same  way.  They  came  to  believe 
that  Jehovah  lived  in  these  special  places,  and  that  it  pleased 
Him  when  they  burned  incense  and  slain  animals  on  these 
sacred  rocks.  Moreover,  some  of  the  people  seemed  to  think 
that  as  long  as  Jehovah  had  plenty  of  sacrifices,  He  did  not 
care  at  all  how  men  treated  one  another.  Rich  wheat  mer- 
chants, for  example,  would  come  up  to  the  Holy  Place  every 
new  moon,  and  bum  a  fat  sheep  on  Jehovah's  altar,  and  then 
go  back  home  and  use  false  measures  in  selling  their  wheat, 
and  treat  unjustly  and  cruelly  the  poor  people  who  worked 
for  them,  or  who  had  to  buy  wheat  from  them. 

Note  3.     How  to  Please  God  according  to  the  Prophets. 

Amos,  the  earliest  prophet  whose  writings  have  come  down 
to  us,  lived  about  750  b.  c.  He  was  bom  in  Tekoa,  a  little 
village  of  southern  Judah.  The  most  of  his  life  he  spent  as  a 
humble  shepherd  and  da^^-laborer.  His  anger  was  stirred 
by  the  wrongs  which  he  saw  inflicted  on  the  poor  bv  the  rich 
men  and  the  nobles  of  his  time.  So  one  year  Amos  went  up 
to  a  great  religious  feast  at  Bethel,  which  was  near  the  border 


124  Christian  Life  and  Conduct  Lesson 

between  Judah  and  the  northern  kingdom.  Many  of  the 
rich  people  of  the  land  were  there.  Even  king  Jeroboam 
of  the  northern  kingdom  used  to  come  there  often,  to  offer 
sacrifices. 

But  the  prophet  did  not  ask  himself  whether  these  pow- 
erful men  would  be  pleased  by  what  he  had  to  say.  He 
simply  walked  in  on  their  banquet,  in  his  coarse  peasant 
clothes,  and  told  them  what  he  believed  was  true.  God,  he 
said,  did  not  care  for  their  burnt  offerings;  He  would  be  far 
better  pleased  if  they  would  give  Him  fewer  sacrifices  and  treat 
poor  people  more  justly  and  live  more  uprightly ;  and  unless 
they  repented  of  their  wrong-doings,  God  would  punish  them 
by  bringing  down  upon  them  the  armies  of  the  great  empire 
of  Assyria. 

The  prophet  Micah  lived  about  a  half  a  century  later,  and 
preached  this  same  truth  to  the  people  of  Judah.  He  lived 
in  the  little  village  of  Moresheth,  near  the  Philistine  city  of 
Gath.  Like  Amos,  he  was  indignant  because  of  the  wrongs 
which  were  inflicted  upon  the  poor  people  of  Judah  by  the 
rich  people  and  the  rulers  of  the  nation.  Like  Amos  he  told 
his  countrymen  bluntly  that  unless  they  repented  of  their 
sins,  God  would  bring  the  armies  of  Assyria  against  them. 
His  hearers  did  not  at  first  pay  much  attention  to  him.  But 
when  in  701  B.C.  the  Assyrian  emperor  invaded  the  land, 
and  shut  up  king  Hezekiah  "  like  a  bird  in  his  cage,"  then  the 
evil-doers  were  startled,  at  least  for  a  time,  into  repentance 
(Jer.  2G:  18,  19).  But  even  then,  many  of  them  did  not  seem- 
to  understand  what  to  do  in  order  to  please  Jehovah.  They 
seemed  to  think  that  what  He  chiefly  wanted  was  more  burnt 
offerings.  They  were  even  ready  to  kill  their  own  little 
children,  as  sacrifices  to  Jehovah.  According  to  the  super- 
stition of  that  cruel  age,  they  thought  that  God  would  be 
especially  pleased  by  such  precious  burnt  offerings.  It  was 
probably  at  this  time  that  Micah  patiently  explained  to  them 
in  the  words  of  the  passage  in  our  lesson,  that  these  were  not 
the  things  which  Jehovah  wished  them  to  do  for  Him.  "  What 
doth  Jehovah  require  of  thee,  but  to  do  justly,  and  to  love 
kindness,  and  to  walk  humbly  with  thy  God?" 

Note  4.  Where  to  Look  for  God.  This  sentence  from  Micah 
bids  us  look  for  God  not  so  much  in  trees  and  rocks  as  in  men, 
God  is  in  our  own  hearts,  and  we  will  find  Him  there  il  we  are 


Twenty-two  p^lse  and  True  Worship  125 

humble.  God  is  in  our  fellow  men.  If  we  treat  them  justly 
and  kindly,  we  shall  truly  be  serving  God.  When  we  hurt 
them,  we  hurt  God.  When  we  are  kind  to  them,  we  are  kind 
to  God.  Not  by  pouring  libations  upon  a  rock,  but  by  giving 
a  cup  of  cold  water  to  a  little  child,  do  we  really  give  drink  to 
God.     So  Sir  Launfal  found: 

*'  The  Holy  Supper  is  kept  indeed, 
In  whatso  we  share  with  another's  need." 

This  was  the  teaching  of  our  Lord  Jesus.  A  certain  man,  He 
said,  lay  bruised  and  bleeding  on  the  rocky  road  which  led  up 
from  Jericho  to  Jerusalem.  A  priest  went  by,  and  then  a 
Levite,  on  their  way  to  offer  sacrifices  at  the  temple.  But 
though  they  saw  the  poor  wounded  traveler,  they  did  not 
stop  and  help  him.  Then  a  Samaritan  came  along.  He  was  a 
heretic,  according  to  the  Jews.  He  never  went  up  to  Jeru- 
salem to  offer  sacrifices,  but  to  Mount  Gerizim  instead;  and 
God  did  not  dwell  on  the  top  of  that  mountain,  so  the  Jews 
said.  Nevertheless,  it  was  this  Samaritan  who  took  pity  on 
the  dying  man  by  the  roadside.  Which  of  the  three  men  who 
passed  by  that  day  came  nearest  to  God,  and  really  served 
God,  the  priest  and  the  Levite,  who  stood  before  the  altar 
in  their  long  white  vestments,  and  watched  the  smoke  of  their 
sacrifices  curl  heavenward,  or  the  Samaritan  who  bound  up 
the  wounds  of  a  fellow  man? 

EXPLANATION  OF  SCRIPTURE  PASSAGES. 

Amos  5:21.  Feasts  .  .  .  solemn  assemblies:  The  religious 
banquets  spoken  of  in  Note  2.  Amos  5:22.  Meal-offerings: 
Or  cereal  offerings.  At  the  harvest  festivals  some  of  the 
wheat  and  barley  was  given  to  Jehovah.  Peace-offerings: 
Or  thank  offerings  ;  fat  beasts  burned  on  the  altar,  in  gratitude 
for  the  increase  in  flocks  and  herds.  Amos  5:23.  Songs  .  .  . 
viols:  The  playing  of  musical  instruments  and  dancing  were 
regular  features  of  these  ancient  religious  feasts.  Amos  5:24. 
Let  justice  roll  down  as  waters:  The  music  of  the  instruments 
flowed  on  like  a  full  stream.  But  Amos  says,  what  God 
wants  Is  a  stream  of  right  living,  rolling  on  unceasingly  from 
day  to  day.  Micah  6:7.  Rivers  of  oil:  Of  the  oil  harvest,  as 
or  all  the  Droducts  of  the  ground,  a  portion  was  offered  to 
«enov»^^ 


126  Christian  Life  and  Conduct  ^^«^ 

THOUGHTS  FROM  OTHER  SOURCES. 

"  Speak  to  Kim,  thou,  for  He  hears,  and  Spirit  with  Spirit  can  meet — 
Closer  is  He  than  breathing,  and  nearer  than  hands  and  feet." 

— Tennyson. 
"  I  cried  aloud,  there  is  no  Christ 
In  all  this  world,  unparadised; 
No  Christ  to  go  to,  in  my  need; 
No  Christ  to  comfort  me,  and  feed; 
He  passed  in  glory  out  of  sight; 
The  angels  drew  Him  into  light. 
Now  in  the  lonesome  earth  and  air 
I  cannot  find  Him,  anywhere. 
Would  God  that  heaven  were  not  so  far, 
And  I  were  where  the  white  ones  are. 

"  Then  from  the  gray  stones  of  a  street 
Where  passed  an  ocean  drift  of  feet, 
I  heard  a  child's  cry  tremble  up. 
And  turned  to  share  my  scanty  cup ; 
When  lo,  the  Christ  I  thought  was  dead, 
Was  in  the  little  one  I  fed. 
At  this  I  drew  my  aching  eyes 
From  the  far-watching  of  the  skies. 
And  now  whichever  way  I  turn, 
I  see  my  Lord's  white  halo  burn. 

"  Wherever  now  a  sorrow  stands 
'Tis  mine  to  heal  His  nail-torn  hands; 
In  every  lonely  lane  and  street 
'Tis  mine  to  wash  His  wounded  feet. 
'Tis  mine  to  roll  away  the  stone 
And  warm  His  heart  against  my  own. 
Here,  here  on  earth  I  find  it  all; 
The  young  archangels,  white  and  tall; 
The  Golden  City,  and  the  doors. 
And  all  the  shining  of  the  floors." 

— Edwin  Markham. 

DIRECTIONS  FOR  HOME  STUDY. 

Questions  on  the  Lesson.  Before  attempting  to  answer  these 
questions,  read  carefully  the  Scripture  passages  referred  to  at  the  be- 
ginning of  the  lesson. 

1.  What  were  some  of  the  wicked  deeds  done  by  the  men  of  the  time 
of  Amos?    (Amos  4:1;  5:11,  12;  6:3-6;  8:4-6.) 


2.  Do  you  think  Amos  meant  to  imply,  in  5:21-24  that  assemblies 
for  public  worship  are  never  pleasing  to  God,  or  only  that  he  hates  the 
hypocrisy  of  men  who  worship  Him  in  public,  and  at  other  times  are 
unjust  to  their  fellow  men? 


TwerUv-tv)o  False  and  Trtie  Worship  12V 

3.  Judging  from  Micah  6:8,  what  one  additional  thing  does  God 
desire  from  us,  besides  those  things  mentioned  by  Amos  in  5 :  24  ? 


4.  Was  Micah  indignant  at  the  people,  or  sorry  for  them,  when  he 
wrote  6:6-8? 


5.  What  did  the  foolish  people  think  were  some  of  the  character- 
istics of  Jehovah  ?     (Study  carefully  both  of  the  passages  in  our  lesson.) 


6.  What  were  some  of  the  characteristics  of  Jehovah,  as  the  prophets 
thought  of  Him? 


7.  Which  of  the  two  passages  in  our  lesson  do  you  admire  most,  for 
force  and  beauty  of  language? 


8.  Which  of  the  following  common  acts  are  or  may  be  religious  acts : 
going  to  Sunday  school;  reading  the  Bible;  studying  arithmetic;  giving 
money  to  poor  people ;  playing  ball ;  helping  mother  about  the  house ; 
workiiig  on  the  farm,  or  in  the  shop,  or  store? 


Note-book  Wcrk.  One  of  the  sermons  of  Micah  is  found  in  Micah 
ch.  3.  Write  a  brief  summary  of  it  in  your  note-book.  Which  of  the 
verses  in  this  sermon  made  a  deep  impression  on  Micah's  hearers  (see 
Jer.  26:18,   19  for  answer)? 

Memory  Work.     Prov.  3:1-26  (continued). 


128  Christian  Life  and  Conduct  ^s**'" 

Lesson  23.     THE  WILL  OF  GOD  A  RULE  FOR  LIVING. 
Ancient  Conceptions  of  God's  Character. 

Scripture  Lesson,  Ps.  103;  Mt.  5:43-48. 

Note  1.  What's  the  Use?  Agnes  was  the  older  sister  in 
the  family.  She  was  the  one  to  whom  every  one  came  when 
in  trouble.  If  little  Tom  cut  his  finger,  Agnes  tied  it  up.  If 
Mary  tore  her  dress  just  before  the  party,  Agnes  was  the  one 
to  mend  it.  If  mother  was  in  difficulties  with  the  family 
burdens,  it  was  always  Agnes  who  could  be  depended  upon 
to  give  up  her  own  plans,  and  help  mother.  The  family  were 
so  accustomed  to  this  unfailing  unselfishness  that  they  had 
come  to  take  it  for  granted.  No  doubt  they  were  grateful, 
but  they  did  not  tell  Agnes  so  as  often  as  they  might  have 
done ;  and  a  good  many  times  she  could  not  help  asking  her- 
self, **  What's  the  use?  "  Her  brother  Sidney  often  asked 
himself  the  same  question,  for  a  different  reason.  He  had 
a  peculiar  disposition,  and  no  one  understood  him  very  well. 
He  really  tried  hard  to  be  a  good  boy,  but  he  did  not  seem 
successful  in  his  efforts.  Often  he  would  be  most  severely 
criticised  when  he  had  tried  hardest  to  do  right.  "  What's 
the  use  of  trying,  any  way,"  he  would  oftentimes  say.  Some 
of  us  perhaps  have  had  similar  thoughts.  Human  beings, 
even  the  best  of  them,  are  imperfect,  and  sometimes  seem 
ungrateful  and  unsympathetic.  There  are  times  when  we 
do  not  love  them  very  much,  and  are  tempted  to  give  up 
our  efforts  to  be  unselfish.  Such  feelings  are  mean  and  un- 
worthy. As  we  shall  see  in  this  lesson,  however,  besides  the 
love  we  feel  for  human  beings,  there  is  an  even  stronger  and 
sweeter  motive  for  right  living.  No  matter  how  much  others 
may  disappoint  us,  yet  for  the  sake  of  pleasing  our  loving 
heavenly  Father  it  is  worth  while  to  keep  on  struggling  for  a 
noble  character. 

Note     2.     Ancient     Misconceptions     of     God's     Character. 

Whether  we  desire  to  please  God  depends  upon  the  kind 
of  God  we  believe  in.  Different  men  and  different  nations 
have  held  the  most  conflicting  ideas  regarding  God's  character. 
We  all  are  familiar  with  the  stories  the  Greeks  and  Romans 
told  about  their  gods;  how  they  were  selfish  and  cruel,  and 
even  guilty  of  heinous  crimes,  or  what  would  be  considered 
such  if  perpetrated  by  human  beings.     Among  the  nations 


Twenty-three        jke  Will  of  God  a  Rule  for  Living  129 

who  were  neighbors  of  the  Israehtes,  people  beHeved  in  the 
same  kind  of  gods,  capricious,  greedy,  and  cruel.  "  Chemosh 
was  angry  with  his  land."  So  runs  an  inscription  written 
by  a  king  of  Moab  in  the  time  of  Ahab.  Why  this  god  Che- 
mosh was  angry  the  king  did  not  know.  Perhaps  he  was  not 
pleased  with  the  burnt  offerings  which  he  had  received.  "  The 
gods  gathered  like  flies  above  the  sacrifice,"  so  runs  one  of 
the  stories  written  on  the  clay  tablets  recently  dug  up  in 
Babylonia.  In  the  preceding  lesson  we  saw  that  even  in 
Israel,  in  the  time  of  Micah,  the  people  believed  that  Jehovah 
desired  them  to  offer  up  little  children  on  their  altars.  Fi- 
nally, we  recall  that  when  the  Book  of  Jonah  was  written  (see 
Lesson  20),  there  were  still  many  Jews  who  believed  that 
their  God  loved  His  own  people  Israel,  and  did  not  love,  but 
hated,  Gentile  nations.  If  we  thought  of  God  as  being  that 
kind  of  person,  our  religion  certainly  could  bring  us  no  new 
motive  for  living  rightly;  for  we  should  not  love  such  a 
God  at  all.  Our  fellow  human  beings,  imperfect  as  they  are, 
would  seem  far  worthier  of  our  love. 

Note  3.  The  Character  of  God,  according  to  the  Prophets 
and  Jesus.  The  writer  of  the  one  hundred  and  third  psalm 
had  had,  we  may  be  sure,  a  good  father.  To  his  father  he 
had  gone  as  a  little  boy,  when  he  fell  and  bruised  himself, 
and  his  father  had  taken  him  into  his  arms  and  comforted 
him.  When  he  had  done  wrong,  he  went  to  his  father  and 
confessed.  And  although  he  was  sometimes  punished,  and 
justly  too,  still,  even  then,  he  had  felt  that  his  father  loved 
him  and  pitied  him,  realizing  how  hard  it  is  always  to  do  right. 
As  he  grew  older,  he  still  went  to  his  father  with  his  perplexi- 
ties, his  ambitions  and  his  disappointments;  and  his  love 
and  reverence  for  the  man's  faithfulness  and  gentleness  of 
character  grew  stronger  and  deeper  every  day.  From  these 
experiences  with  his  father,  there  came  to  this  Psalmist,  as 
to  other  prophets  of  Israel,  a  great  and  inspiring  thought: 
God  is  like  my  father,  only  even  nobler  than  he — infinitely 
more  just,  infinitely  more  merciful;  His  sympathy  for  us 
is  infinitely  more  tender. 

**  Like  as  a  father  pitieth  his  children, 
So  Jehovah  pitieth  them  that  fear  him. 
For  he  knoweth  our  frame ; 
He  remembereth  that  we  are  dust." 


130  Christian  Life  and  Conduct 


Lesson 


The  Jewish  people  accepted  this  teaching  in  part.  They 
came  to  beheve  that  Jehovah  loved  Israel  as  a  father  loves 
his  son.  The  greatest  of  their  prophets  went  further,  and 
declared  that  God  loves  all  men,  as  a  father  loves  his  children 
(Jonah  4:11;  Is.  56:6,  7). 

When  Jesus  came,  the  main  theme  of  His  preaching  was 
the  fatherhood  of  God.  Like  the  prophets  before  Him,  He 
declared  that  God  loves  not  merely  Jews  but  Gentiles  also,  as 
a  father  loves  his  children.  God  loves  even  sinful  men  and 
women,  Jesus  said.  More  tenderly  and  persuasively  than  it 
has  ever  been  portrayed  by  others,  Jesus  dwelt  upon  the 
sorrowing  love  of  the  heavenly  Father  for  His  erring  children 
— His  children  still,  though  in  another  sense  they  are  no  longer 
His  children,  having  sadly  marred  His  image  in  their  hearts. 
In  what  is  generally  considered  the  greatest  of  His  parables, 
He  compared  God  to  a  father  whose  younger  son  went  away 
to  a  far  country  to  waste  his  substance  in  riotous  living, 
but  who  welcomed  that  son  when  he  came  home  again,  and 
freely  forgave  him.  In  the  passage  chosen  for  our  Scripture 
lesson,  He  suggests  as  a  rule  for  living  that  we  try  to  imitate 
God ;  as  God  sends  His  rain  upon  the  unjust  as  well  as  upon 
the  just,  so  Jesus  would  have  us  treat  kindly  those  who  do 
wrong  to  us.  In  all  things,  Jesus  would  have  us  become  like 
God  by  making  His  will  our  will;  He  would  have  us  aim  at 
being  perfect  in  our  life,  even  as  our  heavenly  Father  is  in  His. 

Note  4.  The  Supreme  Motive  for  Noble  Living.  At  first 
thought,  such  a  rule  of  living  as  this  which  Jesus  gives  us, 
may  seem  so  difficult  as  to  be  discouraging.  It  is  certainly 
true  that  eternity  will  not  be  long  enough  to  enable  us  to 
reach  the  divine  perfection,  and  yet,  just  because  our  heavenly 
Father  is  so  good,  we  ought  to  try  as  hard  as  we  can  to  please 
Him  by  being  at  least  a  little  more  like  Him  every  day. 
Human  friends  may  misunderstand  us;  our  heavenly  Father 
never  does.  Human  friends  may  lose  patience  with  us,  may 
sometimes  lose  faith  in  us;  our  heavenly  Father,  never. 
"  Like  as  a  father,"  He  pities  us,  loves  us,  believes  in  us  still. 
For  His  sake  we  will  keep  right  on  trying  to  be  true  and  loving 
and  good. 

EXPLANATION  OF  SCRIPTURE  PASSAGES. 

Ps.  103:1.  Bless  Jehovah:  Reverence  and  love  Jehovah. 
Ps.  103:3.      Who  forgiveth  .  .  .  who   healeth:   The   parallel 


Twenty-three        j]^^  ]^^//  of  Qod  a  Rule  for  Living  131 

lines  of  Hebrew  poetry  are  always  similar  in  thought.  Hence 
"  forgiveth  "  in  this  verse  must  be  similar  in  meaning  to 
"  healeth."  In  other  words,  God  does  not  merely  overlook 
our  iniquities,  but  he  cures  them.  He  takes  away  the  "  stony 
heart,"  and  gives  us  a  "  heart  of  flesh."  Ps.  103:5.  So 
that  thy  youth  is  renewed  like  the  eagle:  Just  as  the  eagle 
comes  out  with  a  new  coat  of  feathers  every  year,  so  those  who 
trust  in  God  "  renew  their  youth,"  continually  receive  new 
strength  and  hope  from  Him.  Ps.  103:7.  He  made  known 
his  ways  unto  Moses:  That  is,  revealed  to  Moses  that  He  was 
a  righteous  God.  Ps.  103:9.  Neither  will  he  keep  his  anger 
for  ever:  God  is  like  a  loving  human  father,  who  in  the  midst 
of  his  righteous  indignation  at  his  child,  feels  a  sudden  wave 
of  pity  for  him.  In  the  thought  of  the  Psalmist,  God  is  in- 
finitely more  patient  than  any  human  father;  human  fathers 
lose  their  patience,  and  afterward  feel  pity.  God  never  loses 
His  patience.  No  matter  how  indignant  He  may  be  at  our 
wrong-doing,  He  never  ceases  to  pity  us.  Ps.  103:10.  After 
our  sins:  That  is,  as  we  deserve.  Ps.  103:14.  He  remem- 
bereth  that  we  are  dust:  He  remembers  the  weakness  of 
these  physical  bodies  of  ours.  Ps.  103:15.  As  for  man,  his 
days  are  as  grass:  The  Psalmist  did  not  know  what  the  New 
Testament  afterward  taught,  that  the  human  soul  is  immortal. 
But  even  though  we  do  look  forward  to  a  glorious  immortality, 
the  Psalmist's  point  still  holds  good,  that  God  is  infinitely 
greater  than  any  human  being.  Ps.  103:19.  His  kingdom 
ruleth  over  all:  This  simply  means,  Jehovah  ruleth  over  all. 
Ps.  103:21.  Ye  ministers  of  his:  All  Jehovah's  servants 
throughout  the  universe.  Mt.  5:43.  Hate  thine  enemy:  The 
Old  Testament  nowhere  contains  this  injunction.  Jesus  is 
probably  referring  to  the  teachings  of  certain  of  the  rabbis. 
Mt.  5:45.  That  ye  may  be  sons  of  your  Father:  That  is,  true 
sons,  like  the  Father  in  character.  Mt.  5:47.  If  ye  salute 
your  brethren  only:  Treat  them  courteously  and  kindly. 

THOUGHTS  FROM  OTHER  SOURCES. 

"  I  see  the  wrong  that  round  me  lies, 
I  feel  the  guilt  within; 
I  hear,  with  groan  and  travail-cries, 
The  world  confess  its  sin. 

"  Yet,  in  the  maddening  maze  of  things, 
And  tossed  by  storm  and  flood, 


132  Christian  Life  and  Conduct  Lessm 

To  one  fixed  trust  my  spirit  clings; 
I  know  that  God  is  good  !  ' ' 

—  Whittier, 

*'  O  Love  that  wilt  not  let  me  go, 
I  rest  my  weary  soul  in  Thee ; 
I  give  Thee  back  the  life  I  owe, 
That  in  Thine  ocean  depths  its  flow 
May  richer,  fuller  be." 

— Matheson. 


DIRECTIONS  FOR  HOME  STUDY. 

Questions  on  the  Lesson.  Before  attempting  to  answer  these 
questions,  read  carefully  all  the  Scripture  passages  referred  to  at  the 
beginning  of  the  lesson. 

1.  Analyze  the  one  hundred  and  third  psalm  into  an  introduction 
and  four  parts.     What  is  the  main  thought  in  each  part? 


2.   What  experiences  can  you  imagine  the  Psalmist  had  had,  which 
led  him  to  write  the  third  verse  of  this  psalm  ? 


3.  How  did  Jehovah  reveal  to  Moses  that  He  was  a  righteous  God  i 


4.   Does  God  hate  wicked  men?     Look  up  Ps.  5:5,  and  compare  with 
Ps.  103:10. 


5.  Compare  Ps.  103 :  17,  18  with  Mt.  5 :45.  Would  Jesus  have  limited 
God's  loving-kindness  to  "  such  as  keep  his  covenant  "?  How  about 
those  who  do  not  keep  His  covenant,  according  to  Jesus? 


6.  Does  God  love  us  before  we  repent  of  our  wrong-doing,  or  only 
after  we  have  repented  ? 


Twenty-four  ReVteW     "  133 

7.   If  God  will  love  us  anyhow,  whether  we  do  wrong  or  not,  why 
should  we  not  keep  on  doing  wrong  whenever  we  please? 


8.  When  God  forgives  us,  does  that  mean  He  will  not  punish  us? 


9.   Which  is  your  favorite  passage  in  the  one  hundred  and  third 
psalm  ? 


Note-book  Work.  Who  is  the  best  man  or  the  best  woman  you  have 
ever  known?  How  do  you  account  for  the  existence  of  such  a  person? 
Write  a  brief  answer  to  this  question. 


Lesson  24.     REVIEW.     Who  is  the  Wise  Man? 

Scripture,  to  be  read  or  recited :  Prov.  3 : 1-26. 

Note  1.  The  Object  of  the  Review  Lesson.  When  a  painter 
is  at  work  on  a  picture,  it  is  necessary  for  him  once  in  a  while 
to  stand  back  from  his  canvas  a  little  way.  From  this  greater 
distance  he  cannot  see  the  minute  details  so  well,  but  he  can 
form  a  better  judgment  of  the  picture  as  a  whole.  We  have 
been  studying  various  qualities  which,  according  to  the  wise 
men  and  the  prophets  of  Israel,  the  good  man  should  possess. 
In  this  review  lesson,  let  us  stand  back  a  little  way,  and  try  to 
picture  to  ourselves  what  kind  of  man  he  would  be  who  united 
in  himself  all  these  splendid  qualities. 

Note  2.  How  the  Various  Teachers  of  Israel  Supplemented 
Each  Other.  The  ideal  character  must  be  balanced.  Virtues 
often  become  vices,  when  carried  to  extremes.  A  man  should 
be  thrifty  but  not  stingy;  temperate  in  his  habits,  yet  able 
to  enjoy  innocent  pleasures;  contented  with  his  lot,  but  not 
satisfied  with  himself.  The  Bible  is  supreme  among  the  books 
of  morals  and  religion,  because  it  presents  such  a  well-rounded 
ideal.     The  earlier  lessons  in  this  Part  of  our  course  lay  em- 


134  Christian  'Life  and  Conduct  Lesson 

phasis  upon  what  might  be  called  the  virtues  that  have  pri- 
marily to  do  with  one's  own  interests.  .  Even  from  the  stand- 
point of  a  person's  own  interests,  it  is  perfectly  clear  that  he 
ought  not  to  be  negligent,  that  he  should  be  careful  to  form 
right  habits  as  early  as  possible;  that  he  should  be  diligent 
in  work.  Many  a  man,  to  be  sure,  has  all  these  virtues,  but 
is  far  from  being  an  ideal  character.  Yet  these  things  are 
important.  No  matter  how  genuinely  unselfish  one  may  be, 
he  is  of  little  use  to  his  fellow  men  if  he  is  careless,  inefficient 
and  tactless.  The  wise  men  of  Israel  insisted  on  these  ele- 
mentary virtues  because  they  were  practical  teachers ;  because 
they  were  so  closely  in  touch  with  the  hard  facts  of  everyday 
life. 

The  prophets,  on  the  other  hand,  had  on  the  whole  the 
broader  vision.  They  laid  stress  also  on  the  virtues  primarily 
shown  in  our  dealings  with  others.  They  summoned  their 
countrymen  to  a  more  brotherbv  attitude  toward  all  men, 
and  to  a  willingness  to  sacrifice  private  interests  for  the  larger 
good.  In  the  last  two  lessons,  they  emphasized  the  neces- 
sity of  a  right  attitude  toward  God,  as  the  tap-root  of  all  right 
living.  The  man,  therefore,  who  lives  according  to  the  stand- 
ards of  the  sages  and  prophets  will  be  an  "  all-round  man," 
deeply  spiritual,  and  yet  very  practical;  a  man  to  be  relied 
upon  in  great  emergencies,  and  at  the  same  time  the  kind  of 
man  we  like  to  live  with,  day  by  day. 

THOUGHTS  FROM  OTHER  SOURCES. 

"  The  kind  of  a  man  for  you  and  me  ! 
He  faces  the  world  unflinchingly, 
And  smites  as  long  as  the  wrong  resists, 
With  a  knuckled  faith  and  force  like  fists; 
He  lives  the  life  he  is  preaching  of, 
And  loves  where  most  is  need  of  love ; 
His  voice  is  clear  to  the  deaf  man's  ears, 
And  his  face  sublime  through  the  blind  man's  tears; 
The  light  shines  out  where  the  clouds  were  dim, 
And  the  widow's  prayer  goes  up  for  him; 
The  latch  is  clicked  at  the  hovel's  door, 
And  the  sick  man  sees  the  sun  once  more, 
And  out  o'er  the  barren  fields  he  seer 
Springing  blooms  and  waving  trees, 
Feeling  as  only  the  dying  may. 
That  God's  own  servant  has  come  that  way, 
Smoothing  the  path  as  it  still  winds  on, 
Through  the  golden  gate  where  his  loved  ones  have  gone 


Twenty-four  ReVieW  135 

"  The  kind  of  a  man  for  me  and  you  I 
However  little  of  worth  we  do, 
He  credits  full,  and  abides  in  trust 
That  time  will  teach  us  how  more  is  just. 
He  walks  abroad,  and  he  meets  all  kinds 
Of  querulous  and  uneasy  minds, 
And,  sympathizing,  he  shares  the  pain, 
Of  the  doubts  that  rack  us,  heart  and  brain; 
And  knowing  this,  as  we  grasp  his  hand. 
We  are  surely  coming  to  understand  ! 
He  looks  on  sin  with  pitying  eyes — 
E'en  as  the  Lord,  since  Paradise, — 
Else,  should  we  read,  though  our  sins  should  glow 
As  scarlet,  they  shall  be  white  as  snow  ? — 
And  feeling  still,  with  a  grief  half  glad, 
That  the  bad  are  as  good,  as  the  good  are  bad. 
He  strikes  straight  out  for  the  Right — and  he 
Is  the  kind  of  a  man  for  you  and  me  !" 

— James  White omb  Riley. 


DIRECTIONS  FOR  HOME  STUDY. 
Questions  on  the  Lesson. 

1.  Give  one  reason  why  the  good  man,  purely  for  his  own  welfare, 
should  cultivate  each  of  the  following  qualities.  Where  none  is 
stated  in  the  Bible,  see  if  you  can  think  of  one. 

(z)  Why  should  the  good  man  not  be  negligent?  (Prov.  27:23,  26, 
27.) 


(2)   Why  should  he  form  right  habits  early  in  life  ?     (Prov.  22  : 6.) 


(j)    Why  should  he  be  temperate  in  his  pleasures?     (Prov.  21 :  17.) 


(4)   Why  should  he  be  considerate  in  speech?      (Prov.  17:27,  28; 
Prov.  21:23.) 


(5)   Why  should  he  not  be  lazy  ?     (Prov.  6:11.) 


13(>  Christian  Life  and  Conduci 

(j6)   "Why  should  he  avoid  covetousness  and  envy  ?     (Prov.  14:30.) 

(7)    Why  should  he  be  humble?     (Prov.  16:18.) 


(8)   Why  should  he  have  sympathy  for  foreigners?     (See  especially 
Jonah  4 : 1-4.) 


(p)    Why  should  he  treat  others  unselfishly?     (Is.  53:12.) 


(lo)   Why  should  he  seek  to  please  God  by  being  just  to  his  fellow- 
.•nen?     (Amos  5:21-24.) 


2.  Give  one  reason  why  each  of  the  three  virtues  (i),  (2),  and  (5) 
ibove,  should  be  cultivated  for  its  own  sake. 


3.  What  qualities  discussed  in  this  part  of  the  course  were  notably 
exemplified  in  the  following  men : 

( 1)  Benjamin  Franklin. 

(2)  David  Livingstone. 

(3)  Abraham  Lincoln. 

4.  Of  the  eleven  preceding  lessons,  which  sets  forth  the  most  funda- 
mental and  important  element  in  the  good  man's  character? 


PART  III 

Living  According  to  the  Standards  of  Jesus 


INTRODUCTION. 

In  the  preceding  lessons  of  this  course,  we  have  referred,  many  times, 
to  sayings  of  Jesus  regarding  various  moral  questions.  We  have 
found  that  the  wisdom  of  the  law-givers,  sages  and  prophets  is  won- 
derfully supplemented  by  the  wisdom  of  Jesus.  Somehow,  Jesus 
always  says  the  crowning  word.  This  last  part  of  our  course,  there- 
fore, "  Living  According  to  the  Standards  of  Jesus,"  should  be  the 
best  part.  In  these  lessons  we  take  up  certain  ideals  of  conduct  which 
Jesus  made  prominent  in  His  teaching. 


Lesson  25.     THE   CHRISTIAN  AND   HIS  LEADER.     How 
to  be  a  Follower  of  Jesus. 

Scripture  Lesson,  Mt.  11:28-30;  Lu.  14:25-35. 

Note  1.  Some  Erroneous  Ideas.  At  the  teacher-training 
class  one  evening  a  young  girl  heard  the  leader  explain- 
ing the  statistics  of  conversion.  "  The  majority  of  Chris- 
tian people,"  he  said,  "  are  converted  or  experience  some 
religious  awakening  before  they  are  seventeen."  After  the 
meeting,  the  girl  stopped  to  talk  with  the  speaker.  "  I've 
never  been  converted,"  she  said,  **  for  I  have  not  had  the 
feelings  that  the  other  girls  had.  And  now  probably  I  never 
shall  be  for  I'm  eighteen  years  old."  She  was  a  good  girl, 
and  with  all  her  love  of  mischief,  was  sincere  in  her  desire 
to  do  God's  will.  Yet  she  was  afraid  that  it  might  not  be 
possible  for  her  ever  to  become  a  disciple  of  Jesus. 

"  Why  don't  you  become  a  follower  of  Jesus,  Warren," 
said  a  pastor  to  one  of  his  boys.  "  I  should  be  so  glad  to  see 
you  join  the  church  this  winter,  with  the  other  young  people." 
"  I  haven't  enough  faith,  I'm  afraid,"  replied  Warren.  What 
he  meant  was  that  he  could  not  honestly  say  that  he  believed 
all  that  some  people  had  told  him  he  must  believe  before  he 
could  be  a  Christian.  But  when  Jesus  was  on  earth,  were 
people  hindered  from  becoming  His  followers  because  they 
did  not  have  certain  feelings,  or  because  on  minor  points  they 
•  137 


138  Christian  Life  and  Conduct  Lesson 

had  wrong  beliefs?  What  we]*e  th€  causes  which  really  kept 
men  from  Jesus,  in  those  days? 

Note  2.  Two  Classes  of  People  who  did  not  Become  Fol- 
lowers of  Jesus.  There  was  a  class  of  people  wh ;  were  hin- 
dered from  becoming  disciples  of  Jesus  through  lack  of  purpose. 
They  realized  that  He  was  a  great  Teacher,  and  were  glad 
to  listen  to  Him.  They  called  themselves  His  disciples,  and 
seemed  enthusiastic  supporters  of  His  cause.  But  they 
were  not  in  earnest.  They  were  half-hearted ;  their  purposes 
were  divided.  During  a  certain  period  in  the  ministry  of 
Jesus,  multitudes  of  such  superficial  disciples  thronged  about 
Him.  They  praised  His  wisdom,  they  marveled  at  His 
power,  and  they  were  attracted  to  Him,  but  they  loved  other 
things  more.  For  example,  they  loved  to  be  on  the  popular 
side.  When,  therefore,  it  began  to  be  unpopular  and  even 
dangerous  to  be  associated  with  Jesus,  *'  they  went  back,  and 
walked  no  more  with  him." 

The  second  class  were  kept  from  becoming  followers  of 
Jesus  through  pride.  They  looked  upon  the  new  teacher  as  an 
ignorant  peasant.  He  had  never  studied  in  the  rabbinical 
schools.  As  we  would  put  it  now,  He  was  not  a  **  college 
graduate."  So  men  said  in  scorn,  **  How  knoweth  this  man 
letters,  having  never  learned?  "  that  is,  having  never  been 
through  the  schools?  They  did  not  believe  that  Jesus  could 
teach  them  anything,  and  so  they  refused  to  listen  to  Him. 
To  the  man  who  stops  his  ears,  no  music  is  sweet.  To  the 
man  who  shuts  his  eyes,  the  sun  itself  is  dark. 

Note  3.     The  Message  of  Jesus  to  these  Two  Types  of  People. 

The  two  passages  in  our  Scripture  lesson  show  us  the  attitude 
of  Jesus  toward  each  of  these  two  classes.  Superficial  popular- 
ity was  distasteful  to  Him.  Instead  of  welcoming  the  multi- 
tudes who  claimed  to  be  His  disciples.  He  sternly  repelled 
them.  You  do  not  know  what  you  are  doing,  He  said,  in 
substance.  Just  as  a  builder  should  count  the  cost  before 
he  begins  to  build  a  tower;  just  as  a  king  should  count  the 
cost  before  he  engages  in  war,  so  you  should  count  the  cost 
before  you  undertake  to  be  my  disciples.  For  this  is  the 
costliest  of  all  undertakings.  To  be  my  disciple  will  cost 
you — everything.  All  that  you  have  and  are  must  be  con- 
secrated to  the  cause  for  which  I  stand.  Your  discipleship 
must  be  the  one  supreme,   controlling  motive  of  your  life, 


Twenty -nve  j^e  Christian  and  fits  Leader  139 

or  it  is  nothing.  Half-hearted  disciples  are  not  disciples  at 
all.  Better  an  out-and-out  enemy  than  a  half-hearted 
disciple.  Salt  which  has  lost  its  savor — salt  which  is  not 
salt, — how  insipid !  and  luke-warm  disciples  are  equally 
worthless.  The  gospels  contain  many  sayings  of  this  kind: 
**  No  man  can  serve  two  masters;  ...  ye  cannot  serve  God 
and  mammon."  "  No  man  having  put  his  hand  to  the  plow 
'and  looking  back  is  fit  for  the  kingdom  of  God."  In  other 
words,  if  you  are  going  to  plow, — plow.  Do  not  try  to  keep 
one  eye  on  your  work,  and  the  other  on  the  cool,  shady  fence 
corner  behind  you.  If  you  are  going  to  seek  God's  kingdom, 
give  your  whole  soul  to  it.     Otherwise  you  will  fail. 

But  the  other  class  of  people,  those  who  made  no  pretence 
of  being  friendly  to  Jesus, — what  was  His  attitude  toward 
them.?  Strangely  enough,  we  find  Him  stretching  out  His 
hands  to  them,  in  eager,  tender,  invitation:  *'  Come  unto 
me,  .  .  .  and  I  will  give  you  rest."  They  have  ignored 
Him ;  they  have  rejected  Him ;  but  with  utter  self-forgetfulness 
He  pleads  with  them.  "  You  need  me,"  He  seems  to  say, 
"  even  though  you  are  too  proud  to  confess  your  need.  Poor 
weary,  heavy-laden  souls,  you  are  missing  life's  supreme 
blessings.  Come  unto  me,  and  learn  of  me;  for  I  am  meek 
and  lowly  in  heart.     And  ye  shall  find  rest  unto  your  souls." 

Note  4.     The  Conditions  of  Discipleship  to  Jesus.     From 

these  two  passages,  and  many  others  like  them,  we  may  learn 
how  to  become  followers  of  Jesus.  Certain  beliefs  and  emo- 
tions are  not  the  principal  thing.  The  pupil  who  enters  a 
school  is  not  expected  to  be  able  at  the  start  to  answer  the 
questions  which  will  be  put  to  him  after  he  has  studied  for 
months  and  years,  nor  to  feel  the  same  emotions  which  will 
stir  his  heart  w^hen  he  is  a  senior.  Two  things  are  expected 
of  him,  however.  He  must  be  humble-minded  and  willing 
to  learn,  and  he  must  be  heartily  in  earnest.  The  same 
things  are  required  of  those  who  would  be  Jesus'  disciples, 
that  is,  learners  in  His  school.  First,  we  must  come  to  him 
with  receptive  minds  and  hearts.  If  we  are  proudly  satisfied 
with  ourselves  as  we  are,  Jesus  cannot  help  us.  He  tells  us 
that  except  we  "  become  as  little  children,"  humble,  teachable, 
open-minded,  we  cannot  "  enter  the  kingdom  of  God." 
Secondly,  we  must  throw  ourselves  into  our  discipleship  to 
Jesus  with  our  whole  heart.     To  learn  of  Him,  and  to  practise 


X40  Christian  Life  and  Conduct  -^^^ 

His  teachings  must  be  our  main  purpose  in  life.  After 
Leonardo  da  Vinci  had  finished  his  great  picture  of  the  Last 
Supper,  he  called  his  truest  friend  to  see  it  before  it  was 
publicly  exhibited.  A.S  that  friend  stood  before  the  picture, 
his  first  exclamation  was,  **  0  what  a  wonderful  goblet  in 
the  hands  of  the  Christ !  "  With  one  stroke  of  the  brush  da 
Vinci  blotted  out  the  goblet  from  the  picture.  "  I  would  have 
you  see  nothing,"  he  said,  "  except  the  face  of  the  Christ." 
As  disciples  of  Jesus,  we  too  are  painting  pictures  of  Him. 
The  world  is  to  see  in  our  faces  His  face.  But  if  we  are  to 
succeed  in  so  glorious  a  purpose,  we  must  blot  out  from  our 
lives  relentlessly  whatever  keeps  Jesus  from  having  the 
central  place. 

EXPLANATION  OF  SCRIPTURE  PASSAGES. 
Lu.   14:25.     Now   there   went    with  him  great  multitudes: 

This  was  during  the  period  of  popularity,  the  middle  period 
in  the  three  years  of  Jesus'  ministry.  Lu.  14:26.  If  any 
man  .  .  .  hateth  not  his  own  father:  This  passage  must  be 
interpreted  in  the  light  of  Mk.  7:10-13,  where  Jesus  rebukes 
the  Pharisees  because  they  had  *'  rejected  the  commandment 
of  God,"  to  honor  father  and  mother.  Jesus  means  that  His 
disciples  must  love  Him  even  more  than  father  or  mother, 
that  God's  kingdom  must  be  dearer  to  them  than  any  indi- 
vidual. Jesus  frequently  emphasized  His  statements  by 
hyperboles  of  this  kind.  Lu.  14:29.  Lest  haply:  Lest  it 
happen  that.  Lu.  14:33.  Renounceth  not  all  that  he  hath: 
This  does  not  mean  that  we  must  give  away  all  our  possessions 
and  go  without  all  the  comforts  and  pleasures  of  life,  but 
that  we  must  use  these  things  for  the  cause  of  Christ  and  be 
ready  to  give  them  up,  if  necessary,  rather  than  be  disloyal 
to  Jesus.  Lu.  14:34.  If  even  the  salt  have  lost  its  savor: 
In  Oriental  countries  the  tax  on  salt  is  sometimes  very  high, 
hence  it  is  liable  to  be  mixed  with  mineral  impurities.  Salt 
that  has  lost  its  savor  is  the  tasteless  white  powder  from 
which  the  genuine  salt  has  been  washed  out. 

THOUGHTS  FROM  OTHER  SOURCES. 

"  If  Jesus  Christ  be  man  and  only  a  man,  I  say 
That  of  all  mankind  I  will  follow  Him,  and  will  follow  Him  alway. 
If  Jesus  Christ  be  God,  and  the  only  God,  I  swear 
I  will  follow  Him  through  heaven  and  hell,  the  earth  and  sea  and  air." 

— Richard  Watson  Gilder. 


Twenty-five  j^^  Christian  and  his  Leader  141 

"  Christ,  I  am  Christ's,  and  let  that  name  suffice  you; 
Yea,  and  for  me  too,  He  greatly  hath  sufficed. 
Lo,  with  no  winning  words  would  I  entice  you, 
Paul  has  no  honor  and  no  friend  but  Christ." 

—From  F.  W.  H.  Myers'  St.  Paul. 

DIRECTIONS  FOR  HOME  STUDY. 

Questions  on  the  Lesson.  Before  *  answering  these  questions,  read 
carefully  the  Scripture  passages  referred  to  at  the  beginning  of  the 
lesson. 

1.  Does  the  rest  which  Jesus  offers  mean  idleness?  (Read  Mt. 
11:28-30.) 


2.  "  My  yoke  is  easy  "  (Mt.  11 :30) ;  "  whosoever  doth  not  bear  his 
own  cross  ...  he  cannot  be  my  disciple  "  (Lu.  14:27).  These  pas- 
sages seem  contradictory;  show,  if  you  can,  how  they  may  be 
reconciled. 


3.  Give  an  example  of  an  occasion  when  love  for  father  and  mother 
would  seem  to  conflict  with  love  for  Jesus. 


4.  Suppose  a  man  in  your  town  should  begin  to  build  a  fine  house 
and  then  leave  it  half  finished,  what  are  some  of  the  things  that  people 
would  say? 


5.  What  is  the  point  of  Jesus'  parable  about  "  salt  which  has  lost 
its  savor  "?     (See  Note  3.) 


6.  What  would  you  have  said  to  the  young  girl  described  in  Note  1, 
had  you  been  talking  with  her? 


7.  How  woulc  you  have  answered  Warren  (in  the  same  paragraph), 
if  you  had  been  in  that  pastor's  place  ? 


142  Christian  Life  and  Conduct 


Lesson 


8.  Which  of  the  two  conditions  mentioned  in  Note  4  is  lacking  in 
each  of  the  following  cases: 

(/)  "I  am  good  to  my  family,  and  I  pay  my  debts,"  said  a 
man  who  was  being  urged  to  become  a  Christian;  "  what  need  have 
I  for  religion?  " 

(2)  A  woman  was  explaining  why  she  had  never  joined  the  church. 
"  There  are  so  many  inconsistent  church  members,"  she  said. 

(j)  A  young  man,  a  member  of  the  church,  was  asked  to  teach  a 
class  of  boys  in  Sunday  school.  "  I  can't  possibly  do  it,"  said  he. 
"  I  am  very  busy  in  my  office;  besides  that,  I  have  too  many  other 
things  to  do." 

Note-book  Work.  Clip  from  an  old  Bible  the  lesson  passages,  as 
suggested  in  the  early  lessons  of  Part  II.  Paste  them  in  your  note- 
book, under  the  lesson  heading.  Insert  also  the  following  clippings, 
which  bear  on  the  question  how  to  be  a  follower  of  Jesus:  Mt.  6:24; 
7:21;  12:46-50;  Mk.  10:13-15;  Lu.  9:61,  62.  Arrange  these  pas- 
sages in  two  groups,  according  as  they  illustrate  the  one  or  the  other 
of  the  two  conditions  mentioned  in  Note  4. 


Lesson    26.     THE    CHRISTIAN    IN    THE    FAMILY.     How 
Love  is  Expressed  through  Courtesy. 

Scripture  Lesson,  1  Cor.  ch.  13. 

Note  1.  Why  do  we  often  Treat  Unkindly  those  whom  we 
Love  Most?  The  Mill  on  the  Floss,  by  George  Eliot,  is  a 
story  of  Tom  and  Maggie  Tulliver,  brother  and  sister.  They 
loved  each  other  so  dearly  that  at  last  they  died  for  each  other. 
Yet  from  their  childhood  they  were  always  making  each  other 
wretched  with  bitter  quarrels.  Once  they  were  playing  with 
their  cousin  Lucy.  Tom  called  Maggie  a  stupid.  **  Don't 
laugh  at  me,  Tom,"  Maggie  burst  out  angrily.  "I'm  not 
a  stupid.  I  know  a  great  many  things  you  don't."  "  Oh, 
I  dare  say,  Miss  Spitfire,"  replied  Tom;  "  I'd  never  be  such 
a  cross  thing  as  you  are,  making  faces  like  that.  Lucy  doesn't 
do  so.  I  like  Lucy  better  than  you.  I  wish  Lucy  were  my 
sister."  Many  a  boy  besides  Tom  Tulliver  has  found  it 
easier  to  treat  guests  kindly  than  to  be  kind  and  courteous 
to  his  own  brothers  and  sisters.     There  are  many  people  who 


Twenty-six  ^hc  Christian  in  the  Family  143 

show  their  most  disagreeable  side  just  at  home,  to  the  people 
whom  they  really  love  best.  Let  us  ask  ourselves,  What 
is  the  explanation  of  this  strange  state  of  affairs?  More 
important  still,  What  is  the  remedy  for  it? 

Note  2.  Quarrels  in  the  Church  at  Corinth.  To  answer 
our  question,  we  turn  in  this  lesson  to  Paul's  first  letter  to  his 
converts  at  Corinth.  These  Christians  were  bound  together 
by  many  close  ties.  They  were  the  only  followers  of  Jesus 
in  all  that  great  heathen  city.  They  had  been  persecuted. 
They  were  liable  to  persecution  at  any  time.  Moreover,  they 
were  drawn  together  as  a  family  of  Christians  by  their  com- 
mon love  to  Christ,  just  as  a  family  of  brothers  and  sisters 
is  drawn  together  by  their  common  love  for  mother  and  father. 
Yet  strange  to  say,  they  seem  to  have  been  continiially 
quarreling.  Paul  takes  up  this  matter  immediately  after 
his  courteous  opening  words.  He  had  just  heard  that  there 
were  divisions  among  them.  "  Each  one  of  you  saith,  I  am 
of  Paul,  and  I  of  Apollos,"  one  of  Paul's  fellow  missionaries, 
**  and  I  of  Cephas,"  that  is,  Peter  (1  Cor.  1 :  12).  Paul  pleads 
with  them  to  lay  aside  these  foolish  jealousies.  What  mat- 
tered it,  if  Apollos  were  a  little  more  eloquent  than  Paul,  or 
Paul  a  little  wiser  than  Apollos.  "  I  planted,  Apollos  watered, 
but  God  gave  the  increase  "  (1  Cor.  3:6).  Another  matter 
about  which  they  quarreled  was  the  question  of  '*  spiritual 
gifts."  Some  of  their  members  were  able  to  sp^ak  very 
eloquently  at  their  prayer  meetings.  This  they  called  the 
gift  of  prophecy.  Others  had  the  gift  of  tongues;  that  is, 
they  were  so  carried  away  from  time  to  time  by  the  force  of 
their  religious  feelings  that  they  uttered,  as  in  a  trance, 
strange  sounds,  unintelligible  to  their  hearers.  It  was 
believed  that  at  such  times  they  were  speaking  in  the  lan- 
guage of  the  angels.  Those  who  had  this  gift  were  proud  of  it. 
Those,  on  the  other  hand,  who  could  speak  eloquently  in  the 
language  of  their  hearers  insisted  that  theirs  was  the  more 
useful  and  honorable  gift.  It  seems  that  the  dispute  became 
bitter.  At  last  they  decided  to  appeal  to  Paul.  So  they 
sent  messengers,  asking  his  opinion  in  regard  to  this  and  cer- 
tain other  matters.  It  was  to  answer  their  questions  that 
Paul  wrote  his  letter. 

Note  3.  Paul's  Message  to  the  Corinthians.  Paul  begins 
his   discussion   of   this   question   of  spiritual   gifts  with   the 


144  Christian  Life  and  Conduct  ^^^°^ 

twelfth  chapter,  and  continues  it  through  the  thirteenth 
and  fourteenth.  Each  of  these  two  gifts,  prophecy  and 
**  speaking  with  tongues,"  Paul  says,  has  its  place  in  the 
church.  Other  gifts,  also,  such  as  skill  in  teaching  and  tact 
in  helping  the  poor,  are  useful  and  necessary.  The  church, 
according  to  Paul,  is  like  a  living  body.  If  the  whole  body 
were  an  eye,  where  were  the  hearing?  If  the  whole  body 
were  hearing,  where  were  the  smelling?  So  there  is  need 
of  many  different  gifts  in  the  church.  Some,  indeed,  are 
more  valuable  than  others.  To  speak  helpfully,  in  ordinary 
human  words,  is  better,  Paul  says,  than  to  speak  "  in  a 
tongue."  But  there  is  something  more  to  be  desired  than 
any  of  these  gifts.  ''  If  I  speak  with  the  tongues  of  men 
and  of  angels,  but  have  not  love,  I  am  become  sounding  brass, 
or  a  clanging  cymbal."  If  your  hearts  are  filled  with  jealousy 
and  bitterness,  if  you  treat  one  another  unkindly  and  dis- 
courteously, all  your  eloquence,  all  your  wisdom,  amounts 
to  nothing. 

Note  4.  The  Remedy  for  Family  Quarrels.  If  we  study 
carefully  these  words  of  Paul,  we  may  discover  the  secret 
of  sweet  and  happy  family  life.  We  ordinarily  take  it  for 
granted  that  brothers  and  sisters  will  treat  one  another  justly 
and  kindly,  because  of  their  natural  affection  one  for  another. 
But  persons  who  live  together  day  after  day,  year  after  year, 
are  sure  to  clash  one  with  another  now  and  then.  No  ma,tter 
how  great  their  natural  affection  one  for  another,  it  is  sure 
to  **  wear  thin,"  in  spots,  owing  to  the  friction  of  constant 
daily  contact.  There  will  come  mornings  when  the  dining 
room  is  cold,  and  the  baby  cries,  and  the  oatmeal  is  scorched, 
and  father  is  cross;  the  kind  of  morning,  in  short,  when  all 
things  show  their  raw  edges.  We  need  a  stronger  motive 
than  natural  affection  to  enable  us  at  such  times  to  control 
our  tempers  and  keep  sweet,  no  matter  how  irritating  things 
and  people  may  be.  Such  a  motive  Paul  offers  us  in  this 
great  chapter.  For  he  means  by  love,  something  more  than 
natural  affection;  he  means  reverence  also.  The  same  Greek 
word  which  is  translated  love  is  used  throughout  the  New 
Testament  to  designate  the  reverent  love  which  the  Christian 
should  feel  toward  God.  That  Paul  had  in  mind  this  kind 
of  love  is  shown  by  his  description  of  it  (13:4-7).  He  lays 
stress   upon   courtesy.     Love,    he   says,    "  doth   not   behave 


Twenty-six  jj^^  Christian  in  the  Family  145 

itself  unseemly."  To  behave  in  an  unseemly  way  may  not 
necessarily  cause  other  persons  to  suffer,  but  it  does  show  a 
lack  of  consideration  for  them.  In  other  words,  unseemly 
conduct  is  discourteous.  The  essence  of  courtesy  is  respect 
and  reverence.  It  meant  originally  the  reverence  which 
courtiers  owe  to  their  king.  According  to  Paul's  noble 
thought,  the  attitude  of  the  Christian  toward  each  fellow 
Christian,  no  matter  how  humble,  should  be  an  attitude  of 
reverent  love.  For  he  is  more  than  a  mere  separate  human 
being,  he  is  a  member  of  the  church,  "  the  body  of  Christ." 
In  all  their  relations  one  with  another,  Christians  should  be 
prompted  by  this  motive,  and  should  treat  one  another  not 
only  with  kindness,  but  with  courteous  respect. 

This  new  motive  should  be  doubly  powerful  as  an  uplifting 
force  in  family  life.  For  our  brothers  and  sisters  are  not  only 
fellow  members  with  us  of  our  heavenly  Father's  larger 
family,  they  are  also  fellow  members  of  our  own  home,  whose 
sacredness  we  ought  surely  to  appreciate.  There  is  a  story, 
often  told,  of  a  little  girl  who  was  carrying  her  baby  brother 
across  the  muddy  street.  The  youngster  was  heavy.  **  Isn't 
he  too  heavy  for  you  to  carry?  "  asked  a  sympathetic  by- 
stander. ''  Oh,  no,"  was  the  answer,  "  he's  my  brother,  you 
know."  That  baby  was  something  else  to  her  than  merely 
some  twenty  pounds.  He  was  a  member  of  the  home,  and 
because  she  reverenced  her  home,  she  reverenced  that  little 
child.  It  was  this  feeling  which  helped  her,  in  spite  of 
weariness,  to  be  so  loyal  to  him. 

This,  then,  is  the  answer  to  the  question  with  which  we 
began.  It  is  not  enough  just  to  be  fond  of  our  brothers  and 
sisters.  We  need  also  to  realize  the  sacredness  of  brotherhood 
and  sisterhood,  the  sacredness  of  all  family  relationships. 
Then  we  shall  indeed  love  one  another  with  the  .love  that 
**  beareth  all  things,  believeth  all  things,  hopeth  all  things, 
endureth  all  things." 

EXPLANATION  OF  SCRIPTURE  PASSAGES. 
The  tongues  of  men  and  of  angels:  See  Note  2,  on  the  gift 
of  tongues.  Love:  In  the  Authorized  Version,  the  word 
charity  was  used,  throughout  this  chapter,  instead  of  love. 
This  was  because,  as  we  have  seen,  the  Greek  word  {agape) 
meant  reverent  and  deliberate  love  rather  than  mere  fond- 
ness.    Just  because  of  the  influence  of  Christianity,  however, 


146  Christian  Life  and  Conduct  ^'««^ 

the  popular  conception  of  love  has  grown  nobler.  The  word 
charity,  on  the  other  hand,  as  now  used,  denotes  only  one  or 
two  of  the  forms  in  which  love  manifests  itself,  as,  for  example, 
charity  towards  the  poor,  or  towards  wrong-doers.  If  I  be- 
stow all  my  goods  to  feed  the  poor,  and  if  I  give  my  body 
to  be  burned;  That  is,  for  pride's  sake,  desiring  to  be  praised 
for  my  generosity,  or  my  saintliness.  Love  suffereth  long, 
and  is  kind:  In  this  and  the  two  following  verses,  we  have 
what  Drummond  called  the  spectrum  of  love.  As  a  beam 
of  white  light  may  be  broken  up  into  its  component  colors, 
"  so  Paul  passes  this  thing  love  through  the  magnificent 
prism  of  his  inspired  intellect,  and  it  comes  out  on  the  other 
side  broken  up  into  its  elements."  Is  not  provoked:  "  We 
are  inclined  to  look  upon  bad  temper  as  a  very  harmless 
weakness.  We  speak  of  it  as  a  mere  infirmity  of  nature,  a 
family  failing,  a  matter  of  temperament,  not  a  thing  to  be 
taken  into  very  serious  account  in  estimating  a  man's  charac- 
ter. Yet  the  Bible  again  and  again  returns  to  condemn  it 
as  one  of  the  most  destructive  elements  in  human  nature." — 
Drummond.  Taketh  not  account  of  evil:  Has  faith  in  other 
people,  despite  their  faults.  "  I  think  the  crier-up  has  a 
good  trade;  but  I  like  less  and  less  every  year  the  berth  of 
runner-down;  I  hate  to  see  my  friends  in  it." — Robert  Louis 
Stevenson.  Rejoiceth  not  in  unrighteousness,  but  rejoiceth 
with  the  truth:  Rejoice  to  see  the  truth  prevail,  even  though 
it  seem  to  be  against  one's  own  interests.  Believeth  all 
things:  This  also  means,  to  have  boundless  faith  in  other 
people,  in  spite  of  their  wrong-doing.  Whether  there  be 
knowledge,  it  shall  be  done  away:  "  A  schoolboy  to-day  knows 
more  than  Sir  Isaac  Newton  knew.  His  knowledge  has 
vanished  away.  You  put  yesterday's  newspaper  in  the  fire. 
Its  knowledge  had  vanished  away.  You  buy  the  old  editions 
of  the  great  encyclopedias  for  a  few  pence.  Their  knowledge 
has  vanished  away." — Drummond.  Now  we  see  in  a  mirror, 
darkly:  In  Paul's  day  men  used  metal  mirrors.  The  image 
was  blurred  and  dim.  How  much  better  to  see  "  face  to 
face  "  !  Now  abideth  faith,  hope,  love:  "  Some  think  the 
time  may  come  when  two  of  these  three  things  will  also  pass 
away — faith  into  sight,  hope  into  fruition.  Paul  does  not 
say  so.  We  know  but  little  now  about  the  conditions  of  the 
life  that  is  to  come.  But  what  is  certain  is,  that  love  must 
last." — Drummond. 


Twenty-six  xhc  Christian  in  the  Family  147 

THOUGHTS  FROM  OTHER  SOURCES. 

"  I  expect  to  pass  through  this  world  but  once.  Any  good  thing, 
therefore,  that  I  can  do,  or  any  kindness  that  I  can  show  to  any  human 
being,  let  me  do  it  now.  Let  me  not  defer  it  or  neglect  it,  for  I  shall 
not  pass  this  way  again." 

"  The  night  has  a  thousand  eyes, 
And  the  day  but  one ; 
Yet  the  light  of  the  bright  world  dies 
With  the  dying  sun, 

*'  The  mind  has  a  thousand  eyes, 
And  the  heart  but  one ; 
Yet  the  light  of  the  whole  life  dies 
When  love  is  done." 

"  Lord,  behold  our  family  here  assembled.  Let  peace  abound  in 
our  small  company.  Purge  out  of  every  heart  the  lurking  grudge. 
Give  us  grace  and  strength  to  forbear  and  to  persevere.  Offenders, 
give  us  the  grace  to  accept  and  forgive  offense.  Give  us  courage  and 
gayety  and  the  quiet  mind.  Spare  to  us  our  friends,  soften  to  us 
our  enemies.  As  clay  to  the  potter,  as  the  windmill  to  the  wind,  as 
children  to  their  sire,  we  beseech  thee  this  help  and  mercy  for  Christ's 
sake." — From  the  prayers  written  by  Robert  Louis  Stevenson,  for 
family  worship  at  his  home  in  the  Samoan  Islands. 

DIRECTIONS  FOR  HOME  STUDY. 

Questions  on  the  Lesson.  Before  attempting  to  answer  these 
questions,  read  carefully  the  Scripture  passage  referred  to  at  the 
beginning  of  the  lesson. 

1,  Fill  out  the  blanks  in  the  following  sentences  as  you  think  Paul 
would  have  done  : 

(7)   Though  I  live  iti  the  midst  of  luxury,  and  have  a  splendid 

house,  fine  clothes,  rich  food,  yet 

it  profiteth  me  nothing. 

(2)  Though,  as  a  child,  I  obey  my  parents  in  everything,  yet 
it  profiteth  nothing. 


(3)   Though,  as  a  parent,  I  give  my  child  food,  clothes,  and  medical 

care,  all  that  he  needs  for  his  physical  well-being,  yet 

it  profiteth  nothing. 

2.  Compare  the  following  cases  with  Paul's  analysis  of  love,  in 
vss.  4-7;  what  elements  are  exemplified,  or  fail  to  be  exemplified  in 
each  case? 

(7)  John  always  says  "  Please  "  and  "  Thank  you  "  to  father  and 
mother,  but  gruffly  gives  orders  to  his  younger  brothers  and  sisters. 


148  Christian  Life  and  Conduct  Lessm 

(2)  Cousin  Ellen  has  come  to  visit  the  family  for  a  few  weeks;  her 
mother  has  broken  down  mentally,  and  has  been  taken  to  an  asylum. 
Young  Tom  forgets  about  his  cousin  one  day,  and  at  suppertime 
talks  about  some  crazy  folks  of  whom  he  has  heard.  Ellen  bursts 
out  crying  and  leaves  the  table. 


3.  Judging  from  vss.  8-13,  which  of  the  following  characters  would 
you  say  are  most  likely  to  live  on  forever:  Alexander  the  Great, 
Napoleon,  Abraham  Lincoln. 


4.  Mention  several  good  ways  in  which  each  of  us  may  show  his 
family  pride  and  a  sense  of  loyalty  to  the  family  honor. 

Note-book  Work.  Write  at  the  head  of  the  page  the  verse  which 
you  like  best  in  this  chapter.     State  below  why  you  like  it  best. 


Lesson   27.     THE   CHRISTIAN   AND   HIS  FRIENDS.     The 

Friendships  of  Jesus. 

Scripture  Lesson,  Mk.  1:16-20;  2:13-15;  Lu.  10:38-42. 

Note  1.  The  Misuse  of  Friendly  Organizations.  A  young 
boy  entered  a  high  school  in  which  there  were  several  fra- 
ternities. His  father  and  mother  were  poor  and  uneducated, 
and  the  boy  had  never  been  in  a  position  to  associate  with 
educated  people.  It  was  natural  that  at  first  he  should 
feel  out  of  place  among  young  people  who  had  enjoyed  greater 
advantages  than  he.  His  language  was  inelegant,  and  his 
manners  were  awkward.  Because  of  these  deficiencies  he 
was  not  taken  into  any  of  the  fraternities.  His  classmates 
looked  down  upon  him  and  ridiculed  him.  They  had  their 
good  times  together;  he  was  left  out.  He  had  brains  and 
ambition,  and  made  a  fine  record  as  a  student.  But  after  he 
graduated,  he  looked  back  upon  his  years  at  school  as  a  period 
of  heart-breaking  loneliness.  He  had  formed  no  friendships. 
Worse  still,  he  had  grown  bitter  and  uncharitable  in  his 
attitude  toward  his  fellow  men.  This  spirit  had  taken  com- 
plete possession  of  him  and  threatened  to  spoil  his  whole  life. 


'iwenty-seven  j^he  Christian  and  his  Friends  149 

Suppose  there  had  been  no  fraternities  in  that  school;  is  it 
not  possible  that  this  boy's  classmates  would  have  treated  him 
more  kindly?  Is  it  true,  as  many  people  think,  that  fra- 
ternities and  sororities  do  more  harm  than  good?  Or  should 
we  say  that  such  organizations  are  harmless  and  innocent  in 
themselves,  but  that  they  may  be  misused?  Before  answer- 
ing these  questions,  we  must  first  answer  a  deeper  one.  Our 
circle  of  friends — how  large  should  it  be  and  whom  should  it 
include  ? 

Note  2.  Social  Exclusiveness  in  the  Time  of  Jesus.  Human 
society  is  often  compared  to  an  enormous  pie  or  cake  with  an 
"  upper  crust,"  and  with  various  other  layers  underneath. 
This  was  the  view  people  took  of  it  in  the  time  of  Jesus. 
Men  differed,  to  be  sure,  regarding  the  position  of  the  layers. 
The  proud  Romans,  of  course,  considered  themselves  at  the 
top.  In  their  eyes  the  Jews  were  beneath  contempt.  To 
the  Jews,  all  Gentiles  were  "  heathen  dogs,"  and  their  kins- 
men the  Samaritans,  who  had  become  heretics  in  religion, 
were  more  despicable  than  the  heathen.  Amongst  the  Jews 
themselves,  the  Pharisees  and  the  Sadducees  were  the  aris- 
tocracy. Below  them  were  the  common  people.  Even 
among  these  there  were  class  distinctions.  The  Judeans,  for 
example,  looked  down  on  the  Galileans.  At  the  bottom  of 
the  social  scale  were  the  publicans,  who  collected  taxes  for 
the  hated  Romans.  They  were  despised  by  everybody.  All 
these  various  classes  of  persons,  even  when  they  hated  one 
another,  were  nevertheless  agreed  on  one  point,  namely,  that 
a  man  ought  not  to  make  friends  in  the  class  beneath  him. 
The  Pharisees  were  especially  exclusive.  They  held  them- 
selves grandly  aloof  from  ordinary  men  and  women.  The 
touch  and  conversation  of  a  woman  they  regarded  as  especially 
defiling. 

Note  3.  The  Friendships  of  Jesus.  One  of  the  most  remark- 
able characteristics  of  Jesus  was  His  absolute  indifference  to 
these  social  barriers.  He  had,  indeed,  a  little  circle  of  friends, 
Galilean  workingmen,  like  Himself,  with  whom  He  was  most 
intimate.  These  were  Peter  and  Andrew  and  James  and 
John.  They  were  the  men  who  most  easily  understood  Him 
and  sympathized  with  Him.  He  spent  much  time  alone 
with  them,  in  seasons  of  great  joy  or  trouble,  especially 
during  the  last  few  days  of  His  life  (Mk.  13:3).     It  was  Peter 


150  Christian  Life  and  Condua  ^^^^ 

and  James  and  John  whom  He  chose  to  be  with  Him  on  the 
Mount  of  Transfiguration  (Mt.  17:1)  and  in  the  garden  of 
Gethsemane  (Mk.  14:33). 

Outside  of  this  circle,  however,  Jesus  sought  to  be  friendly 
with  everybody.  The  prophets  had  protested  against  the 
narrow  prejudice  of  the  Jews  against  foreigners  and  had  taught 
the  brotherhood  of  man  (Lesson  20).  Jesus  put  their  teach- 
ings into  practice.  He  lived  brotherhood.  Although  a  rabbi. 
He  numbered  many  women  among  His  friends.  He  loved 
to  visit  at  the  home  of  Mary  and  Martha.  He  was  friendly 
toward  foreigners  (Mt.  8:5-13).  He  made  friends  among 
the  Samaritans  (Jo.  4: 1-42),  and  passed  back  and  forth  many 
times  through  their  territory.  He  chose  a  publican,  Levi,  or 
Matthew,  to  be  one  of  His  twelve  Apostles,  and  sat  down  to 
dinner  with  a  company  of  Levi's  publican  friends.  This 
friendliness  on  the  part  of  Jesus  toward  all  classes  won  for 
Him  a  remarkable  welcome.  As  the  leaves  come  out  in  the 
spring  sunshine,  so  human  lives,  forgetting  their  prejudices, 
grew  friendly  and  kind  in  the  sunshine  of  the  presence  of 
Jesus.  Once,  indeed,  in  a  certain  Samaritan  village.  His 
disciples  met  with  a  rebuff,  and  came  back  to  Jesus  very 
angry.  But  Jesus  said  to  them,  "  Ye  know  not  what  manner 
of  spirit  ye  are  of  "  (Lu.  9: 55  margin).  If  Jesus  Himself  had 
gone  first  to  that  village,  the  Samaritans  would  probably 
have  welcomed  Him,  just  as  they  did  when  He  was  at  the 
village  of  Sychar,  earlier  in  His  ministry  (Jo.  4:40).  As  for 
the  publicans,  they  made  a  feast  for  Him  (Lu.  5:29).  Their 
hearts  were  hungry  for  what  He  gave  them.  They  thronged 
about  Him  eagerly  whenever  there  was  an  opportunity  (Lu. 
15:1;  19:1-10). 

Note  4.     Whom  to  Include  among  our  Friends.     In  our 

friendships,  as  in  all  other  things,  we  should  imitate  Jesus. 
Just  as  He  had  an  inner  circle  of  friends,  with  whom  He  was 
more  intimate  than  with  any  others,  so  we  need  an  intimate 
friend,  or  friends,  in  whom  we  can  confide,  whose  counsel  and 
encouragement  shall  be  one  of  the  great  inspirations  of  our 
lives.  To  such  close  friends  we  should  be  devotedly  loyal. 
We  should  be  patient  with  their  faults.  We  should  keep 
faithfully  their  secrets.  To  betray  a  friend's  confidence  is  to 
show  oneself  unworthy  of  intimate  friendship. 

It  is  impossible  for  any  one  to  have  many  such  friends. 


Twenty-seven  j/^^  Christian  and  his  Friends  151 

Many  persons  find  them  in  fraternal  organizations.  On  the 
other  hand,  we  may  have  multitudes  of  real,  though  less 
intimate,  friends.  The  world  is  full  of  lonely  hearts,  hunger- 
ing and  thirsting  for  friendliness.  Ships  do  not  pass  one 
another  on  the  sea  without  signaling,  "  Ahoy !"  But 
countless  human  beings  rub  elbows  day  after  day,  month 
after  month,  as  workers  in  the  same  ofhce,  or  factory,  or  as 
students  in  the  same  school,  without  even  a  single  ''  Ahoy, 
there,  brother !"  If  we  imitate  Jesus,  we  shall  be  more  gen- 
erous with  our  friendliness.  The  latch-string  of  our  heart 
should  always  be  out.  There  should  always  be  room  for  one 
friend  more.  Nor  should  we  stop  to  ask  whether  a  person 
belongs  to  our  grade  of  society  before  we  extend  the  friendly 
hand.  If  we  thus  try  to  be  friendly  to  everybody,  we  shall 
receive  a  great  reward.  One  of  the  greatest  stepping-stones 
toward  success  is  the  disposition  to  be  friendly  with  all  per- 
sons. Moreover,  a  friendship  in  itself  is  one  of  life's  greatest 
blessings.  Call  that  man  richest  who  has  the  largest  number 
of  real  friends.  Some  people,  indeed,  seem  at  first  sight 
uninteresting  and  unattractive.  How  can  it  be  possible,  we 
say,  that  any  one  can  enjoy  being  a  friend  to  such  persons? 
But  the  friendly  man  is  continually  coming  upon  delightful 
surprises,  finding  jewels  of  character  hidden  under  strange 
disguises.  Friendliness  itself  is  a  kind  of  magic;  it  causes 
unsuspected  mental  and  spiritual  powers  to  leap  into  life. 
A  visitor  was  being  shown  through  Tiffany's  store  in  New 
York  City.  In  its  great  collection  of  precious  stones  was  a 
large  opal,  which,  according  to  the  attendant,  was  one  of  the 
most  valuable  opals  in  the  world.  "  It  certainly  is  a  large 
one,"  said  the  visitor,  "  but  it  seems  to  me  that  I  have  seen 
others  more  beautiful."  "  Hold  it  in  the  warmth  of  your 
hand,"  was  the  reply,  and  the  stone  was  given  him  for  a 
moment.  When  the  visitor  opened  his  hand,  there  did 
indeed  shine  out  from  the  mysterious  depths  of  the  jewel 
gleams  of  almost  unearthly  beauty.  Many  a  human  being 
also,  who  seems  dull  and  lacking  in  charm,  might  thus  be 
transfigured,  could  he  but  feel  the  warmth  of  some  friendly 
hand,  the  sympathy  of  some  friendly  heart. 

EXPLANATION  OF  SCRIPTURE  PASSAGES. 
Mk.  1:16.     Passing  along  by  the  sea  of  Galilee:  Probably  not 
far  from  Capernaum,  where  Peter  lived.     Mk.  1:17.     Jesxis 


152  Christian  Life  and  Condtict 


Leaaon 


said  .  .  .  Come  ye  after  me:  As  we  are  told  in  John's  gospel, 
Peter  and  his  friends  had  already  known  Jesus,  and  were 
more  or  less  prepared  to  receive  this  summons.  Mk.  2:14. 
Levi  the  son  of  Alphaeus:  Elsewhere  called  "  Matthew  the 
publican"  (Mt.  10:3).  The  place  of  toll:  A  road  from  Da- 
mascus ran  along  the  northern  shore  of  the  Sea  of  Galilee.  At 
Capernaum,  it  passed  into  the  territory  of  Herod  Antipas, 
ruler  of  Galilee.  In  this  town,  therefore,  were  stationed  tax- 
gatherers,  who  collected  customs  on  all  goods  brought  into 
the  province.  The  place  of  toll  was  the  ofhce  where  these 
customs  were  paid.  He  saith  .  .  .  Follow  me:  Levi  also  must 
have  become  acquainted  with  Jesus  before  this  occasion. 
Otherwise  he  would  not  have  known  what  Jesus  meant  by 
the  words  "  Follow  me."  Mk.  2:15.  Sitting  at  meat:  Sit- 
ting down  to  dinner.  Luke  tells  us  that  Levi  made  Him  a 
great  feast  (Lu.  5:29).  Publicans  and  sinners:  Besides  the 
publicans,  there  were  others  who  were  ostracized  by  respect- 
able society.  Lu.  10:38.  A  certain  village:  Bethany,  accord- 
ing to  Jo.  11:1.  Lu.  10:42.  But  one  thing  is  needful:  Or,  as 
in  margin,  "  but  few  things  are  needful,  or  one."  Martha 
was  trying  to  prepare  a  big  dinner.  Jesus  says,  in  substance, 
"  Martha,  we  do  not  need  all  those  things;  just  get  us  a  little 
bread  and  milk.  I  would  rather  have  a  chance  to  talk  with 
you  than  have  you  spend  all  the  time  of  my  visit  in  elaborate 
preparations  for  dinner.  Mary  understands  better  than  you 
what  those  things  are  which  are  most  worth  while,  and  what 
things  it  is  well  to  neglect." 

THOUGHTS  FROM  OTHER  SOURCES. 
The  House  by  the  Side  of  the  Road. 

By  Sam  Walter  Foss,  in  Dreams  in  Homespun. 
These  verses  were  suggested  to  Mr.  Foss  by  a  passage  in  Homer: 
"  He  was  a  friend  to  man  and  he  lived  by  the  side  of  the  road." 

••  There  are  hermit  souls  that  live  withdrawn 

In  the  place  of  their  self-content ; 
There  are  souls,  like  stars,  that  dwell  apart, 

In  a  fellowless  firmament ; 
There  are  pioneer  souls  that  blaze  their  paths 

Where  highways  never  ran — 
But  let  me  live  by  the  side  of  the  road 

And  be  a  friend  to  man. 

•*  Let  me  live  in  a  house  by  the  side  of  the  road, 
Where  the  race  of  men  go  by — 


Tweruyseven  xhe  Christian  and  his  Friends  163 

The  men  who  are  good  and  the  men  who  are  bad. 

As  good  and  as  bad  as  I, 
I  would  not  sit  m  the  scomer's  seat, 

Or  hurl  the  cynic's  ban — 
Let  me  live  in  a  house  by  the  side  of  the  road 

And  be  a  friend  to  man. 

"  I  see  from  my  house  by  the  side  of  the  road 

By  the  side  of  the  highway  of  hfe, 
The  men  who  press  with  the  ardor  of  hope, 

The  men  who  are  faint  with  the  strife. 
But  I  turn  not  away  from  their  smiles  nor  their  tears — 

Both  parts  of  an  infinite  plan — 
Let  me  live  in  my  house  by  the  side  of  the  road 

And  be  a  friend  to  man. 

**  I  know  there  are  brook-gladdened  meadows  ahead 

And  mountains  of  wearisome  height ; 
That  the  road  passes  on  through  the  long  afternoon 

And  stretches  away  to  the  night. 
But  still  I  rejoice  when  the  travelers  rejoice, 

And  weep  with  the  strangers  that  moan, 
Nor  live  in  my  house  by  the  side  of  the  road 

Like  a  man  who  dwells  alone. 

"  Let  me  live  in  my  house  by  the  side  of  the  road 
Where  the  race  of  men  go  by — 
They  are  good,  they  are  bad,  they  are  weak,  they  are  strong, 

Wise,  foolish — so  am  I. 
Then  why  should  I  sit  in  the  scomer's  seat 

Or  hurl  the  cynic's  ban? 
Let  me  live  in  my  house  by  the  side  of  the  road 
And  be  a  friend  to  man." 
(Copyrighted  by  Lothrop,  Lee  &  Shepard  Co.,  Boston.     Used  by  permission.) 

DIRECTIONS  FOR  HOME  STUDY. 

Questions  on  the  Lesson.  Before  attempting  to  answer  these 
questions,  read  carefully  the  Scripture  passages  referred  to  at  the 
beginning  of  the  lesson. 

L  Describe  briefly  Peter  and  his  friends,  as  Jesus  saw  them  by  the 
Sea  of  Galilee.  Wliat  kind  of  clothes  did  they  probably  wear?  How- 
must  their  outdoor  life  have  affected  their  complexions?  Were  their 
hands  soft  and  white?  What  kind  of  muscles  do  you  suppose  they 
had? 


2.  Suppose  you  and  I  could  be  transported  back  nineteen  centuries 
and  could  see  those  Galilean  fishermen  at  their  work,  what  would  we 
probablv  say  about  them  at  first  sight? 


154  Christian  Life  and  Conduct  ^^^^ 

3.  How  did  most  people  treat  the  publican,  Levi,  as  he  passed  along 
the  street  ? 


4.  What  did  the  publicans  probably  say  about  Jesus  when  they 
were  going  home  from  the  dinner  at  Levi's  house? 


5.  Judging  from  the  story  of  Mary  and  Martha,  what  did  Jesus 
think  of  the  mental  capacity  of  women? 


6.  Suppose  that  Jesus,  as  a  young  man,  had  gone  to  school.  What 
would  He  have  said  to  those  who  lefused  to  associate  with  a  certain 
classmate  because  of  his  disagreeable  manners? 


7.  Shakespeare  makes  Polonius  say  to  Laertes:  "  But  do  not  dull 
thy  palm  with  entertainment  of  each  new-hatched,  unfledged  com- 
rade." Is  this  consistent  with  the  principle  that  we  ought  to  be 
friendly  with  everybody?     Give  reasons  for  your  answer. 


Note-book  Work.  In  some  places,  laws  have  been  passed  abolish- 
ing fraternities  and  sororities  in  high  schools.  Write  in  parallel 
columns  What  good  they  might  do  and  What  harm  they  might  do. 


Twenty-eight  xhe  Christian  and  his  Enemies  155 

Lesson  28.     THE   CHRISTIAN  AND   HIS  ENEMIES.     The 
Power  of  Forgiveness. 

Scripture. Lesson,  Mt.  5:38-48;  6:14,  15;  18:21,  22;  Rom.  12:19-21. 

Note    1.     Can   we   and    Should   we   Love    our   Enemies? 

**But  I  say  unto  you,  Love  your  enemies."  "How  perfectly 
absurd!"  exclaim  some  persons  when  they  read  these  words 
in  the  Sermon  on  the  Mount.  "  It  is  too  much  to  expect  of 
human  nature,"  they  say,  "  to  ask  us  really  to  love  our 
enemies.  Furthermore,  would  it  ever  be  right  for  a  person 
always  to  love  his  enemies  ?  The  man  who  wrongs  me  usually 
wrongs  others  also.  Have  I  any  right  to  love,  and  treat  as  a 
friend  the  man  who  has  treated  unjustly  my  dear  ones  or 
the  community  in  which  I  live.?  In  so  doing  would  I  not 
simply  be  lowering  myself  to  the  level  of  the  wrong-doer?" 
How  can  we  answer  these  objections.?  Or  must  we  admit 
that  the  Sermon  on  the  Mount  is  "  beautiful  but  imprac- 
ticable"? 

Note  2.  The  Attitude  of  the  Jews  toward  their  Enemies  in 
the  Time  of  Jesus.  The  ancient  Hebrews  passed  laws  which 
restrained  to  some  extent  the  evils  of  private  vengeance  (see 
Lesson  1).  The  wise  men  also  urged  their  pupils  to  learn  to 
control  the  angry  temper  and  w^arned  them  against  the  spirit 
of  hatred  and  vengeance.  In  the  time  of  Jesus  the  best  men 
and  women  endeavored  to  live  up  to'  these  rules.  But  as 
for  actually  loving  their  enemies  and  being  friendly  toward 
them,  no  one  dreamed  of  doing  that.  On  the  contrary,  they 
felt  it  their  duty  to  get  just  as  far  away  as  possible  from  evil- 
doers, lest  they  themselves  should  be  contaminated.  Their 
attitude  is  well  expressed  by  the  words  of  the  Psalmist: 

"  Surely  thou  wilt  slay  the  wicked,  O  God: 
Depart  from  me  therefore,  ye  bloodthirsty  men. 


Do  not  I  hate  them,  O  Jehovah,  that  hate  thee? 

I  hate  them  with  perfect  hatred. "     Ps.  139 :  19-22. 

Note  3.  The  Teaching  and  Example  of  Jesus  regarding 
Treatment  of  Enemies.  It  has  been  said  that  forgiveness  was 
"  Christ's  most  striking  innovation  in  morality."  He  did  not 
merely  say,  "  Control  your  temper,"  or,  "  Let  your  enemy 
alone,  and  God  will  punish  him  "  (see  Prov.  20:22) ;  He  went 


156  Christian  Life  and  Conduct  ^^^ 

further  and  said,  "  Love  your  enemies."  His  meaning  is,  in 
substance.  Your  enemy  is  your  brother  in  disguise ;  save  him 
from  his  hatred  and  his  sin  by  being  kind  to  him.  Our 
heavenly  Father  is  kind  even  to  those  who  sin  against  Him, 
and  thus  wins  them  back  to  Himself.  He  is  at  all  times  ready 
to  forgive  them.  And  we  should  strive  to  be  sons  of  God, 
that  is,  to  be  Hke  God,  and  to  have  His  spirit  of  forgiveness 
in  our  hearts. 

Jesus  practiced  these  principles  in  His  own  life.  He  treated 
kindly  not  only  offenders  against  society  but  also  His  personal 
enemies.  To  Jesus,  forgiving  sin  did  not  mean  condoning 
sin,  or  excusing  it.  To  Him,  the  spirit  of  forgiveness  was  a 
means  of  conquering  sin.  Thus  at  one  time,  when  he  was 
passing  through  Jericho,  He  spent  the  night  at  the  house  of 
Zacchaeus,  a  despised  and  perhaps  dishonest  tax-collector. 
The  good  people  of  the  city  were  horrified.  "  He  is  gone  in 
to  lodge  with  a  man  that  is  a  sinner,"  they  cried.  But 
Zacchaeus  was  so  touched  by  this  kindness  that  he  said  to 
Jesus,  "Behold,  Lord,  ...  if  I  have  wrongfully  exacted 
aught  of  any  man,  I  restore  [that  is,  I  will  restore]  fourfold  " 
(Lu.  19:8).  This  friendliness  of  Jesus  toward  sinners  brought 
upon  Him  severe  condemnation.  Many  good  people  were 
shocked.  They  said  of  Him,  He  is  a  "  friend  of  sinners." 
They  meant  what  we  would  mean  now  if  we  should  say,  "  He 
associates  with  low  down  people."  Yet  it  Avas  true;  Jesus 
was  indeed  a  friend  of  sinners.  Through  His  friendliness, 
He  saved  them  from  their  sins.  Nor  was  He  any  the  less 
compassionate  and  forgiving  in  His  attitude  toward  those 
who  injured  Him  personally.  Even  on  Calvary,  He  prayed 
for  the  soldiers  who  nailed  Him  to  the  cross,  saying,  "  Father, 
forgive  them,  for  they  know  not  what  they  do."  Little 
wonder  that  the  Roman  centurion  was  moved  to  say  of  Him, 
"  Truly  this  man  was  the  Son  of  God !"  He  was  indeed  the 
Son  of  God;  He  was  and  is  the  world's  Redeemer;  and  it  is 
through  the  wondrous  powder  of  His  forgiveness  that  He  wins 
sinful  men  to  lives  of  righteousness  and  love. 

Note  4.     The  Meaning  of  the  Command,  Love  your  Enemies. 

This  command  does  not  mean  that  we  are  to  have  affectionate 
emotions  in  thinking  of  our  enemies.  Nor  does  it  mean  that 
we  are  to  "  let  people  run  over  us."  We  are  doing  no  kind- 
ness to  a  man  when  we  permit  him  to  cheat  us,  or  otherwise 


Twenty-eight  xhe  Christian  and  his  Enemies  157 

to  do  us  an  injustice.  Nor,  furthermore,  does  it  mean  that 
we  are  to  condone  wrong-doing.  We  may  be  loving  our 
enemies  most  truly  when  we  are  sternest  with  them,  be- 
cause of  their  evil  deeds.  The  command  means  that  we  must 
never  lose  faith  in  those  who  do  wrong.  When  people  injure 
us,  instead  of  trying  to  "  pay  them  back,"  we  should  seek  to 
show  them,  through  our  kindness,  that  we  still  believe  in  their 
better  natures,  in  spite  of  their  evil  deeds.  The  revengeful 
spirit  helps  nobody.  It  blinds  us  to  the  good  in  other  men, 
and  leads  on  to  unjust  deeds.  Furthermore,  the  man  who 
nurses  a  grudge  poisons  his  own  life,  and  makes  himself  con- 
tinually more  wretched  and  unhappy.  On  ohe  other  hand, 
if  we  put  this  teaching  of  Jesus  into  practice,  we  shall  find 
that  people  respond  to  our  faith  in  them.  We  shall  see  our 
enemies  becoming  our  friends.  We  shall  see  selfishness 
giving  place  to  love.  These  are  facts  of  everyday  experience. 
Those  who  consider  this  command  of  Jesus,  "  Love  your 
enemies,"  as  contrary  to  human  nature  have  never  really 
tried  to  obey  it.  No  more  practicable  command  was  ever 
uttered.  Merely  from  the  standpoint  of  good  sense,  what 
better  method  could  there  be  for  disposing  of  our  enemies 
than  to  make  friends  of  them ;  and  instead  of  being  contrary 
to  human  nature,  does  not  this  idea  appeal  to  our  deepest 
and  noblest  impulses? 

Judge  Lindsey  has  adopted  this  principle  of  Jesus  in  his 
Juvenile  Court,  in  Denver.  A  certain  boy,  about  seventeen 
or  eighteen  years  old,  whom  we  will  call  Harry,  had  already 
served  thirteen  terms  in  jail.  Young  as  he  was,  he  already 
had  the  face  and  manner  of  a  hardened  criminal.  Never- 
theless, the  judge  was  kind  to  him.  At  first  the  boy  repaid 
these  kind  words  with  surly  and  discourteous  answers ;  but 
after  a  time  he  began  to  show  a  better  spirit.  One  evening 
when  the  judge  was  in  his  office  on  an  upper  floor  of  the  same 
building  with  the  county  jail,  he  sent  a  message  to  the  warden 
of  the  jail,  asking  him  to  bring  Harry  up  for  a  short  con- 
ference. In  a  few  minutes  the  officer  came  in,  bringing  the 
prisoner,  who  was  securely  handcuffed.  "  Take  off  those 
irons,"  said  Judge  Lindsey.  The  officer  shook  his  head,  then 
went  over  and  whispered  to  the  judge.  Finally,  however,  he 
took  off  the  handcuffs  and  left  the  room.  Then  Judge  Lind- 
sey turned  to  the  boy  and  spoke  to  him  somewhat  as  follows : 
'*  Harry,  the  officer  says  you  are  going  to  try  to  get  through 


158  Christian  Life  and  ConduU  ^^«^^^ 

that  open  window  and  climb  down  the  fire  escape.  Now, 
then,  I  have  been  trying  to  help  you  to  become  a  good  man. 
But  if  you  aren't  going  to  help  me  to  help  you,  you  may  as 
well  go  back  on  me  first  as  last.  There's  the  window.  Go 
ahead,  cUmb  out,  if  you  want  to.  I  won't  report  to  the  jailer 
till  midnight."  The  boy  looked  for  a  moment  at  the  judge, 
then  at  the  window.  Then  he  went  over  and  closed  the  window 
with  a  bang.  "  Nobody  ever  talked  to  me  like  you  do,  Judge," 
said  he.  An  hour  or  two  later,  the  warden  of  the  jail  was 
called  to  the  door  of  his  office,  and  received  the  surprise  of  his 
life.     Harry  was  waiting  to  be  locked  in  his  cell. 

EXPLANATION   OF  SCRIPTURE  PASSAGES. 

Mt.  5:38.  An  eye  for  an  eye:  See  Lesson  1.  Mt.  5:39.  Who- 
soever smiteth  thee  on  thy  right  cheek,  turn  to  him  the  other 
also:  This  is  another  illustration  of  the  use  of  hyperbole  by 
Jesus.  He  simply  means,  when  persons  injure  you,  do  not 
try  to  "  pay  them  back,"  but  seek  to  win  them  by  kindness. 
Mt.  5:41.  Whosoever  shall  compel  thee  to  go  one  mile: 
Roman  soldiers,  in  marching  through  the  country,  were  fre- 
quently in  need  of  guides  and  burden-bearers.  They  were 
accustomed  to  press  into  service  any  one  whom  they  met. 
Mt.  5:43.  Kate  thine  enemy:  The  Old  Testament  nowhere 
contains  this  injunction;  but  many  passages  seem  to  point  in 
this  direction.  Mt.  5:47.  Salute  your  brethren:  Treat  them 
courteously  and  kindly.  Mt.  6:15.  Neither  will  your  Father 
forgive  your  trespasses:  God  is  always  eager  to  forgive  us,  but 
He  cannot  do  so  if  we  are  cherishing  in  our  own  hearts  an 
unforgiving  spirit  toward  others.  Mt.  18:22.  Until  seventy 
times  seven:  Or,  in  other  words,  do  not  ever  cease  to  forgive 
him.  Rom.  12:19.  Give  place  unto  the  wrath  of  God:  God 
will  punish  men  for  their  unjust  deeds.  Rom.  12:20.  Thou 
shalt  heap  coals  of  fire  on  his  head:  That  is,  make  him  blush 
with  shame  because  of  his  unkindness  to  you.  Rom.  12:21. 
Overcome  evil  with  good:  Especially  overcome  hatred  and 
anger  with  kindness  and  love. 

THOUGHTS  FROM  OTHER  SOURCES. 

**  Be  noble !  and  the  nobleness  that  lies 
In  other  men,  sleeping  but  never  dead, 
Will  rise  in  majesty  to  meet  thine  own." 

— Lowell 


Twenty-eight  fj^^  Christian  ayid  his  Enemies  159 

"  Let  a  man  overcome  anger  by  kindness,  evil  by  good ;  let  him  con- 
quer the  stingy  by  a  gift,  the  liar  by  truth.  For  never  in  this  world 
does  hatred  cease  by  hatred ;  hatred  ceases  by  love.  This  is  always  its 
nature. ' ' — Buddha. 

DIRECTIONS  FOR  HOME  STUDY. 

Questions  on  the  Lesson.  Before  attempting  to  answer  these 
questions,  read  carefully  all  the  Scripture  passages  referred  to  at  the 
beginning  of  the  lesson. 

1.  Does  nursing  a  grudge  against  some  one  else  do  one  any  harm? 
If  so,  what  harm .? 


2.  Mention  other  things,  beside  sunshine  and  rain,  that  God  gives  to 
bad  men  as  well  as  good. 


3.  Many  persons  wonder  how  it  is  that  a  just  God  can  allow  the 
wicked  to  prosper.  How  would  you  answer  them,  in  the  light  of 
Mt.  5:45? 


4.  Some  say  that  to  love  an  enemy  is  the  virtue  of  weak  and  cow- 
ardly persons.     How  would  you  answer  them? 


5.  Think  of  some  one  who  really  does  keep  on  forgiving,  as  Jesus 
commanded  (Mt.  18:22),  no  matter  how  many  times  the  injury  is 
repeated.  Can  you  think  of  anybody  who  has  many  times  forgiven 
you? 


6.  How  can  you  reconcile  the  advice  to  "  shun  evil  companions, 
with  Jesus'  command  to  love  our  enemies  and  be  kind  to  them  ? 


7.  A  certain  boy  behaved  in  an  ungentlemanly  way.     A  girl  acquaint- 
ance, the  next  time  she  met  him,  refused  to  speak  to  him.      In  the 


160  Christian  Life  and  Conduct  ^«««o^ 

light  of  the  teaching  and  example  of  Jesus,  do  you  think  there  are 
occasions  when  it  is  right  to  ostracize,  or  "  cut,"  persons  in  this  way? 
If  so,  give  an  example  of  such  an  occasion. 


Note-book  Work.  Write  a  story  (from  your  own  experience,  if 
possible)  illustrating  Paul's  words,  "  In  so  domg  thou  shalt  heap  coals 
of  fire  upon  his  head." 


Lesson   29.     THE   CHRISTIAN  AND   LITTLE   CHILDREN. 

The  New  Chivalry  of  Jesus. 

'  Scripture  Lesson,  Mt.  18:5,  6;  Mk.  9:36,  37;  10:13-16. 

Note  1.  The  Morality  of  a  Torch  Race.  Among  the  favorite 
games  of  the  ancient  Greeks  was  the  relay  race.  They  fre- 
quently ran  such  races  after  nightfall,  and  in  that  case  the 
event  was  called  a  torch  race.  Each  runner  received  a  torch 
from  the  man  before  him,  and  after  running  with  it  a  certain 
distance,  delivered  it  to  the  next  man,  who  stood  waiting  for 
it  at  the  mark  assigned  to  him.  The  team  that  succeeded  in 
getting  the  torch  first  to  the  goal  was  accounted  the  winning 
team.  Now  imagine  yourself  a  runner  in  such  a  race  ;  suppose 
the  man  before  you  had  come,  all  breathless,  to  where  you 
were  waiting,  and  had  put  the  torch  in  your  hand;  would 
you  consider  that  it  had  been  given  you  as  a  toy  to  play  with, 
or  as  a  personal  decoration  ?  Would  you  not  consider  it  your 
first  business  to  run  with  that  torch  and  deliver  it  into  the 
hands  of  the  next  runner? 

Now  turn  to  another  picture,  a  scene  on  a  modem  play- 
ground. A  group  of  boys  are  resting  after  their  game. 
Among  them  is  a  lad  of  fifteen  and  his  younger  brother,  who  is 
about  seven  or  eight.  As  they  sit  there  on  the  grass,  some 
of  the  other  boys  use  profane  language  and  tell  vile  stories. 
The  two  brothers  come  of  an  upright  family.  The  little 
fellow  has  never  heard  such  language  before;  now,  however, 
he  listens  in  astonishment  and  wonder.  The  older  boy  has 
been  taught  to  be  clean  in  his  speech,  and  he  does  not  join 
in  the  dirty  talk  of  the  other  boys.  Nevertheless,  he  sits  there 
quietly,  and  allows  his  younger  brother  to  hear  what  they  say. 


Twenty-nine         7/^^  Christian  and  Little  Children  161 

Was  he  doing  his  duty  ?  His  father  and  mother  had  passed  on 
to  him,  faithfully  and  lovingly,  the  torch  of  the  knowledge 
of  the  right.  Was  he  doing  all  that  he  might  have  done  to 
pass  it  on  to  the  next  runner? 

Note  2.     The  Attitude  of  the  Disciples  toward  Children.     In 

ancient  times,  most  fathers  and  mothers  were  kind  to  their 
children.  Yet  almost  everybody  seemed  to  take  it  for 
granted  that  children  were  in  the  world  chiefly  for  the  benefit 
of  older  persons.  The  ancient  Hebrew  desired  many  children, 
not  that  through  them  he  might  serve  mankind,  but  that 
after  his  own  death  he  might  have  many  descendants  to  honor 
his  memory.  The  attitude  of  the  disciples  of  Jesus  in  one 
of  the  passages  in  our  lesson  is  a  good  illustration  of  the 
general  attitude  toward  children  in  ancient  times.  When 
the  mothers  brought  their  little  ones  to  Jesus,  ''  the  disciples 
rebuked  them."  Children  were  to  be  petted  when  there  was 
nothing  better  to  do.  But  men  who  were  engaged  in  the 
serious  business  of  life  had  no  time  to  concern  themselves  with 
children.  This  attitude  is  still  very  common.  There  are  even 
now  some  fathers  and  mothers  who  seem  to  forget  that  they 
owe  a  duty  to  their  children.  This  is  one  reason  why  we  have 
so  many  divorces.  As  for  older  brothers  and  sisters,  there 
are  far  too  many  who  look  upon  the  little  ones  in  their  own 
family  as  being  "  in  the  way,"  and  who  do  not  seem  to 
realize  at  all  the  special  obligations  and  the  inspiring  oppor- 
tunities of  brotherhood  and  sisterhood. 

Note  3.-  What  Jesus  Taught  about  Children.  Jesus  insisted, 
as  no  one  before  Him  had  ever  done,  that  all  older  persons 
are  under  sacred  obligations  toward  children.  When  His 
disciples  rebuked  the  mothers  for  bringing  children  to  Him, 
He  was  indignant.  "  Let  the  little  children  come  to  me,"  He 
said,  and  "  taking  them  in  his  arms,  he  blessed  them."  At 
another  time.  He  took  a  little  child  in  his  arms,  and  said  to 
His  disciples,  in  substance,  **  Whoever  treats  kindly  such 
little  children  does  a  kindness  to  me,  and  to  my  Father  in 
heaven.  On  the  other  hand,  to  harm  a  little  child  is  the 
greatest  of  all  sins."  With  especial  sternness  did  Jesus  con- 
demn those  who  hindered  little  children  from  coming  to  know 
God,  the  heavenly  Father,  and  from  learning  to  live  a  life  ot 
goodness  such  as  is  pleasing  to  the  Father.  "  Whosoever 
shall   cause  one  of  these  little  ones  that  believe  on  me  to 


162  Christian  Life  and  Conduct  ^^^"^^ 

stumble,"  He  said,  "  it  were  better  for  him  if  a  great  millstone 
were  hanged  about  his  neck,  and  he  were  cast  into  the  sea." 

Note  4.  The  Torch  Race  of  Human  Life.  Ages  ago,  men 
dwelt  in  caves  and  slew  one  another  for  a  few  morsels  of  food. 
They  cared  little  for  anything  save  self-gratification.  Since 
that  distant  day,  humanity  has  been  toiling  painfully  along 

"  the  great  world's  altar-stairs 
That  slope  through  darkness  up  to  God." 

Wonderful  progress  has  been  made  in  knowledge,  in  self- 
control,  and  in  the  power  to  appreciate  the  beautiful  and  the 
good.  This  achievement  has  been  made  possible  by  the 
blood  and  the  agony  of  innumerable  brave  and  loyal  hearts, 

"  Toiling  up  new  Calvaries  ever  with  the  cross  that  turns  not  back," 

After  us,  countless  other  generations  will  live  upon  the  earth. 
They,  surely,  should  come  far  closer  than  we  to  the  great  goal 
of  human  progress,  the  triumph  of  righteousness  and  truth 
and  God.  The  men  who  live  in  the  year  3000  a.  d.  ought  to 
be  able  to  look  back  on  this  present  generation  as  we  look 
back  on  the  Dark  Ages.  But  if  future  generations  are  to 
achieve  this  wonderful  victory,  we  in  this  generation  must  do 
our  part  to  help  them  forward.  The  torch  of  human  progress 
is  in  our  hands.  In  the  brief  span  of  a  single  generation  we 
cannot  carry  it  forward  very  far.  We  owe  it  both  to  the 
heroes  and  heroines  of  the  past,  and  also  to  the  generations 
who  shall  come  after  us,  to  hand  on  this  torch  to  the  children, 
and  to  speed  them  on  their  way.  This  is  why  it  is  sa  grievous 
a  sin  to  injure  a  little  child.  In  so  doing  we  wrong  our  own 
father  and  mother  who  at  such  pains  have  striven  and  are 
striving  to  hand  on  to  us  the  torch  of  life  and  love  and 
duty,  and  we  also  wrong  the  torch -bearers  of  the  future. 
There  are  ways  in  which  boys  and  girls  may  strike  a  direct 
blow  not  only  at  living  children,  but  also  at  the  children  of 
the  next  generation.  Of  course,  whatever  we  do  that  is  wrong 
injures  not  only  people  now  living  but  also  those  who  will 
come  after  them.  There  are  some  sins,  however,  which 
injure,  even  more  directly,  the  children  of  the  future.  Dis- 
courtesy to  girls  or  women  is  such  a  sin.  It  is  the  God-given 
mission  of  women,  even  more  than  of  men,  to  be  directly 
responsible  for  the  care  of  children.  Only  at  the  cost  of 
the  mother's  suffering  can  the   child  be  born.     Surely  the 


Twenty-nine  xhe  Christian  and  Little  Children  163 

least  that  a  boy  or  a  man  can  do  is  to  reverence  all  mothers 
and  all  women  for  motherhood's  sake.  He  who  is  dis- 
courteous to  a  woman  is  aiming  a  blow  at  all  little  children. 
Girls,  on  the  other  hand,  should  remember  that  it  is  possible 
through  unseemly  manners  to  invite  discourtesy  or  undue 
familiarity  (which  is  the  worst  form  of  discourtesy).  They 
should  cherish  their  own  self-respect,  and  demand  respect 
and  courtesy  on  the  part  of  their  boy  friends. 

Furthermore,  anything  which  injures  the  home  injures 
future  generations.  Christianity's  greatest  gift  to  children 
has  been  the  Christian  home,  composed  of  one  husband  and 
one  wife,  who  take  each  other  "  for  better  for  worse,  for 
richer  for  poorer,  in  sickness  and  in  health,  to  love,  honor, 
and  cherish,  till  death  us  do  part."  Such  a  home,  when  it  is 
truly  a  Christian  home,  is  indeed  a  heaven  on  earth.  From 
the  love  of  such  a  father  and  mother,  the  little  child  can  most 
easily  come  to  understand  and  appreciate  the  love  of  the 
Father  in  heaven.  Boys  and  girls  in  their  teens  should  look 
forward  to  founding  such  a  home  some  day,  and  should 
begin  even  now  to  be  loyal  to  the  possible  future  wife  or 
future  husband,  and  to  the  children  that  may  some  time  be 
bom. 

The  late  Governor  Hogg  of  Texas  was  asked,  the  evening 
before  he  died,  what  kind  of  monument  he  wished.  He 
replied,  "  I  want  no  monument  of  stone;  but  let  my  children 
plant  at  the  head  of  my  grave  a  pecan  tree,  and  at  the  foot  of 
my  grave  a  walnut  tree,  and  when  these  trees  bear,  let  the 
pecans  and  the  walnuts  be  given  out  among  the  plain  people 
of  Texas,  so  that  they  may  plant  them  and  make  Texas  a 
land  of  trees."  In  that  same  spirit  we,  too,  may  do  our 
little  share  towards  helping  future  generations.  We  may 
not  plant  trees,  but  we  may  do  something  better — we  can 
be  good  to  little  children;  we  can  so  live  that  if  wx  have 
children  of  our  own,  they  may  carry  the  torch  of  life  higher 
and  burning  brighter  than  in  our  hands ;  and  so  we  can  help 
to  make  the  world  of  the  future  a  world  of  brave  and  loving 
and  loyal  men  and  women. 

EXPLANATION  OF  SCRIPTURE  PASSAGES. 
Mt.  18:6.     A  great  millstone:  Literally,  a  millstone  turned 
by  an  ass;  not  the  small  millstone  that  eastern  women  turn 
by  the  hand  in  grinding  grain.     Mk.  10:15.     Whosoever  shall 


164  Christian  Life  and  Conduct  ^^^'^^ 

not  receive  the  kingdom  of  God  as  a  little  child:  That  is,  in  a 
teachable  spirit.     See  Lesson  25,  Note  4. 

THOUGHTS  FROM  OTHER  SOURCES. 

'•  We  are  at  the  beginning  of  the  greatest  change  that  humanity 
has  ever  undergone.  We  are  creatures  of  twiHght ;  but  out  of  our  minds 
will  spring  minds  that  will  reach  forward  fearlessly.  A  day  will  come' — 
one  day  in  the  unending  succession  of  days — when  the  beings  now 
latent  in  our  thoughts  shall  stand  on  this  earth,  and  shall  reach  out 
their  hands  starward.  After  all,  nothing  is  so  far  from  completion  as 
humanity." 

DIRECTIONS  FOR  HOME  STUDY. 

Questions  on  the  Lesson.  Before  attempting  to  answer  these 
questions,  read  carefully  the  Scripture  passages  referred  to  at  the 
beginning  of  the  lesson. 

1.  How  did  Jesus  show  His  love  for  children? 


2.  What  indications  are  there  that  children  were  attracted  to  Jesus, 

and  loved  Him? 


3.  Did  Jesus  have  brothers  and  sisters?     (Mk.  6 : 3.) 


4.   If  you  had  been  a  younger  brother  or  sister  of  Jesus,  how  would 
He  have  treated  you? 


5.  There  are  some  games  which  are  sure  to  lead  to  a  rough  and 
tumble  scuffle.  Is  it  a  good  thing  to  play  these  games  at  parties 
attended  by  boys  and  girls?     Give  reasons  for  your  answer. 


6.  Some  musical  comedies  are  full  of  coarse  jokes.  Yet  boys  and 
girls  often  attend  such  shows,  in  order  to  be  able  to  sing  or  whistle  the 
latest  popular  song.  What  do  you  think  about  the  wisdom  of  going 
to  them? 


^•'^^■'^y  The  Ambition  of  a  Christian  165 

7.  In  what  ways  can  girls  prepare  to  be  good  mothers,  when  they  are 
older? 


8.  In  what  ways  can  boys  prepare  to  be  good  fathers? 


Note-book  Work.  Clip  from  an  old  Bible  the  various  passag. 
of  our  lesson,  and  paste  them  in  your  note-book.  Select  from  the 
Brown  or  Perry  collection  some  picture  illustrating  motherhood,  or 
parenthood,  or  chivalrous  manhood,  and  paste  it  on  the  opposite 
page.  Any  of  the  Madonna  pictures  would  be  appropriate;  also  the 
following  Brown  pictures:  Nos.  361,  729,  1068. 


Lesson  30.    THE  AMBITION  OF  A  CHRISTIAN.    A  New 

Kind  of  Greatness. 

Scripture  Lesson,  Mt.  25:14-29;  Mk.  10:35-45. 

Note  1.  Is  it  Right  to  be  Ambitious?  Sometimes  we  hear 
ambition  condemned  as  sinful.  Shakespeare  makes  Lord 
Wolsey  say  to  his  fellow  officer: 

"  Cromwell,  I  charge  thee,  fling  away  ambition ; 
By  that  sin  fell  the  angels;  how  can  man,  then, 
The  image  of  his  Maker,  hope  to  win  by  it?" 

In  Lesson  18  we  considered  the  duty  of  contentment,  and 
contentment  seems  at  first  sight  inconsistent  with  ambition. 
On  the  other  hand,  ambition  is  frequently  praised  as  a  virtue. 
"  He  has  no  ambition  !"  When  persons  speak  thus  of  a  man, 
they  usually  mean  that  his  life  will  never  be  worth  very  much 
to  his  fellow  men.  Is  ambition  right  or  wrong?  Or,  are 
there  different  kinds  of  ambition,  some  of  which  are  right  and 
some  wrong?  These  are  the  questions  before  us  in  this 
lesson. 

Note  2.     The  Ambition  of  the  Disciples  of  Jesus.     The  Jews 

have  always  been  an  ambitious  race.  This  was  true  of  them 
in  the  time  of  Jesus.  Oppressed  and  despised  by  their 
Roman  rulers,  they  looked  forward  with  passionate  longing 


166  Christian  Life  and  Condtict  Lesson 

to  the  time  when  God  should  send  the  Messiah  and  dehver 
His  people.  The  Messiah,  they  believed,  would  be  a  "  son  of 
David,"  that  is,  like  David,  he  would  be  an  actual  world 
ruler.  He  would  drive  out  the  Romans  from  Palestine, 
conquer  the  whole  world,  and  make  Jerusalem  the  world's 
capital  instead  of  Rome.  When  the  disciples  of  Jesus  came 
to  believe  in  Him  as  the  promised  Messiah,  they  naturally 
supposed  that  eventually  He  would  enter  upon  this  victorious 
career  and  sit  upon  a  material  throne.  They  themselves 
hoped  for  high  offices  in  the  new  government.  As  time  went 
on,  they  became  more  and  more  absorbed  in  these  dreams  of 
the  future.  Jesus  explained  to  them,  again  and  again,  that 
He  was  not  that  kind  of  Messiah ;  that  His  kingdom  was  not 
of  this  world ;  that  He  was  seeking  to  establish  His  throne,  not 
in  some  royal  palace  at  Jerusalem,  but  in  the  hearts  and  lives 
of  men.  But  the  disciples  failed  to  understand  Him.  They 
kept  on  dreaming  of  future  power  and  fame.  Worse  yet, 
they  began  to  quarrel  over  the  question,  "  Who  shall  be  the 
greatest?  "  James  and  John  wanted  Jesus  to  promise  them 
the  two  chief  offices.  The  other  disciples  were  naturally  very 
indignant.  They  felt  that  the  two  brothers  had  "  stolen  a 
march  on  them."  All  twelve,  however,  were  actuated  by 
the  same  spirit ;  each  of  them  hoped  for  the  highest  possible 
place  in  the  new  kingdom. 

Note    3.     The    Testimony   of   Jesus    regarding    Ambition. 

Jesus  did  not  rebuke  the  disciples  for  being  ambitious.  In- 
deed, if  we  study  His  teachings  as  a  whole,  we  find  that  He 
had  little  use  for  a  man  who  was  lacking  in  ambition.  This 
is  the  meaning  of  the  parable  of  the  talents.  The  servant 
who  was  not  content  with  his  five  talents  was  finally  successful 
in  gaining  "  other  five  talents  " ;  in  the  same  way,  the  servar^ 
with  two  talents  gained  "  other  two  talents."  But  the  ser- 
vant who  was  perfectly  satisfied  with  his  one  talent,  and 
made  no  effort  to  increase  it,  finally  lost  even  that  one.  So 
Jesus  taught  that  His  disciples  should  be  ambitious — ^but 
ambitious  for  what?  For  fame,  for  selfish  advantages,  for 
ease  and  pleasure?  No;  these  things  indeed  are  what  most 
men  strive  after,  but,  "  It  is  not  so  among  you,"  says  Jesus. 
A  new  idea  has  come  into  the  world  regarding  what  things  are 
really  great:  "  Whosoever  would  become  great  among  you 
shall  be  your  servant;  and  whosoever  would  be  first  among 


TMHv  The  Ambition  of  a  Christian  167 

you  shall  be  servant  of  all."  The  servant,  in  Caesar's  palace, 
who  really  seeks  to  be  useful  to  his  fellow  men  through  his 
so-called  menial  labors,  is  really  greater  than  Cae.sar  himself, 
the  selfish  despot,  at  whose  slightest  nod  the  whole  world 
trembles.  In  other  words,  Jesus  took  the  ordinary  ideas  of 
greatness  and  turned  them  upside  down. 

Note  4.  The  Ambition  of  a  Christian.  Looking  back  over 
human  history  it  is  easy  to  see  that  Jesus  was  right  in  His 
conception  of  true  greatness.  The  greatest  men  have  been 
those  who  were  ambitious,  not  merely  for  themselves,  but  for 
the  common  welfare,  as,  for  example,  Alfred  the  Great, 
Columbus,  George  Washington,  and  Abraham  Lincoln.  Self- 
ishness makes  men  shrivel ;  love  calls  out  the  best  and  noblest 
in  them,  and  makes  them  truly  great.  Suppose  Nehemiah 
had  never  been  visited  by  that  delegation  from  Jerusalem, 
and  had  spent  the  rest  of  his  life  as  the  king's  cupbearer,  sur- 
rounded by  an  atmosphere  of  selfish  luxury !  Probably  he 
would  have  yielded  to  these  evil  influences,  at  least  in  a 
measure,  and  would  have  become  selfish  like  all  his  asso- 
ciates. He  might  have  been  promoted  to  high  office  in  the 
Persian  empire.  But  would  his  life  have  been  truly  great, 
or  would  it  have  become  more  and  more  petty  and  mean? 
How  fortunate  it  was  for  him  and  for  the  world  that  there 
came  a  summons  from  the  city  of  his  fathers  knocking  at  the 
door  of  his  heart,  and  calling  to  the  real  Nehemiah  to  awake 
and  come  forth,  to  serve  God  and  country,  to  struggle,  to 
fight,  to  hope,  to  despair,  to  persevere,  to  be  great !  The 
greatness  of  service  is,  indeed,  the  only  true  greatness. 

We  can  now  see  why  Jesus  was  so  insistent  that  men 
should  be  ambitious,  even  though  not  selfish  in  their  ambition. 
He  sets  before  us  an  ideal  of  greatness  which  is  infinitely  high. 
There  are  always  nobler  ways  of  helping  others.  Finer,  more 
splendid  achievements  in  the  service  of  humanity  are  always 
possible.  The  unambitious  man,  however,  is  content  with 
what  he  has  already  accomplished.  He  does  not  have  the 
larger  vision,  or,  if  he  does,  he  does  not  care.  Such  an 
attitude  is  most  dangerous;  it  is  a  kind  of  spiritual  suicide. 
Just  as  the  man  in  the  parable  who  had  no  desire  for  further 
gains  finally  lost  even  what  money  he  had,  so  the  man  who 
desires  no  further  gains  in  nobility  of  character  is  sure  to  lose 
those  moral  and  spiritual  treasures  which  he  already  possesses. 


168  Christian  Life  and  Conduct  Lesson 

"  If  I  cease  becoming  better,"  wrote  Oliver  Cromwell  in  the 
fly-leaf  of  his  Bible,  "  I  shall  soon  cease  to  be  good."  On 
certain  old  Spanish  coins  there  was  a  picture  of  the  Pillars 
of  Hercules,  and  underneath  it,  the  inscription  Ne  plus  ultra^ 
"  No  more  beyond."  After  Columbus  discovered  America, 
however,  the  Strait  of  Gibraltar  was  no  longer  the  western- 
most limit  of  human  navigation.  The  authorities  therefore, 
erased  the  first  word  of  the  inscription.  On  these  later  coins 
one  sees  the  Pillars  of  Hercules  as  before,  but  underneath  are 
the  words.  Plus  ultra,  "  More  beyond."  This  is  typical  of 
the  experience  of  che  Christian.  We  lift  our  eyes  toward 
our  fairest  and  noblest  aspirations,  and  perhaps  we  say, 
"  Surely,  there  is  no  more  beyond;  if  I  can  ever  be  as  good, 
as  true,  as  unselfish  as  that,  I  shall  be  content."  When,  how- 
ever, we  have  begun  to  realize  these  aspirations  in  some 
measure,  we  find  that  we  made  a  mistake;  there  is  more 
beyond.  New  and  brighter  visions  beckon  us.  There  is  now 
and  then,  indeed,  a  man  who  refuses  to  follow  these  new 
beckonings.  "Then  let  the  clock  stand  still;  his  time  is 
o'er."  To  the  true  Christian,  however,  the  great  pursuit 
never  loses  its  zest.  He  never  ceases  to  look  forward  to  the 
future  with  all  the  enthusiastic  ambition  of  youth.  This  is, 
indeed,  the  secret  of  eternal  youth, — never  to  lose  ambition; 
and  the  Christian  never  grows  old. 

EXPLANATION  OF  SCRIPTURE  PASSAGES. 
Mt.  25:14.  For  it  is  as  when  a  man  .  .  .  delivered  unto 
them  his  goods:  In  the  Greek,  the  sentence  is  incomplete. 
Jesus  means,  '*  This  story  which  I  am  about  to  tell  illustrates 
a  law  of  the  spiritual  world."  Mt.  25:15.  Five  talents:  A 
talent  of  silver  was  worth  about  two  thousand  dollars,  and  a 
talent  of  gold  about  thirty  thousand.  To  each  according  to 
his  several  ability:  That  is,  according  to  his  own  ability.  Mt. 
25:24,  25.  Lord,  I  knew  thee  that  thou  art  a  hard  man  .  .  . 
and  I  was  afraid:  The  servant  was  afraid  to  risk  the  money  in 
trade,  lest  if  he  should  not  be  successful  his  master  would 
punish  him.  Mt.  25:27.  Thou  oughtest  therefore  to  have 
put  my  money  to  the  bankers:  That  is,  even  if  you  were  afraid  to 
invest  it  in  business  you  might  have  put  it  in  a  bank.  But  the 
servant  had  been  afraid  that  even  the  bank  might  fail.  Mt. 
25:29.  From  him  that  hath  not,  even  that  which  he  hath 
shall  be  taken  away:  The  man  who  has  ceased  to  make  progress 


Thirty  j^^  Ambition  of  a  Christian  169 

is  already  in  the  same  class  with  the  man  who  "  hath  not." 
He  is  sure  to  lose  even  that  which  he  seems  to  have.  Mk. 
10:38.  Ye  know  not  what  ye  ask:  Notice  that  Jesus  does  not 
rebuke  James  and  John  for  their  ambitious  request.  He  only 
tells  them  that  to  sit  on  either  hand  of  Him  in  His  kingdom 
is  an  honor  very  different  from  what  they  supposed.  The 
pathway  to  honors  in  His  kingdom  led  down  through  sorrow 
and  persecution  and  death. 

THOUGHTS  FROM  OTHER  SOURCES. 

"  Speak,  history!     Who  are  life's  victors? 

Unroll  thy  long  annals  and  say. 
Are  they  those  whom  the  world  called  the  victors 

Who  won  the  success  of  a  day? 
The  martyrs  or  Nero? 

The  Spartans  who  fell  at  Thermopylae's  tryst, 
Or  the  Persians  and  Xerxes?     His  judges  or  Socrates? 

Pilate  or  Christ?" 

**  Glory  of  warrior,  glory  of  orator,  glory  of  song. 

Paid  with  a  voice  flying  by  to  be  lost  on  an  endless  sea — 

Glory  of  Virtue,  to  fight,  to  struggle,  to  right  the  wrong — 
Nay,  but  she  aimed  not  at  glory,  no  lover  of  glory  she ; 

Give  her  the  glory  of  going  on,  and  still  to  be." — Tennyson. 

"  A  glorious  gift  is  Prudence, 

And  they  are  useful  friends 
Who  never  make  beginnings 

Till  they  can  see  the  ends; 
But  give  us  now  and  then  a  man, 

That  we  may  make  him  king, 
Just  to  scorn  the  consequence, 

And  just  to  do  the  thing." 

"  Be  good,  sweet  maid,  and  let  who  will  be  clever; 
Do  noble  deeds,  not  dream  them  all  day  long; 
And  so  make  life,  death,  and  that  vast  forever 
One  grand,  sweet  song." — Kingsley. 

DIRECTIONS  FOR  HOME  STUDY. 

Questions  on  the  Lesson.  Before  attempting  to  answer  these 
questions,  read  carefully  the  Scripture  passages  referred  to  at  the 
beginning  of  the  lesson. 

1.  When  did  the  disciples  suppose  that  Jesus'  glory  was  to  begin? 


2.   In  the  light  of  His  own  teachings,  was  His  career  on  earth  a  part 
of  His  ' '  glory  ' '  ?     Why  ? 


170  Christian  Life  and  Conduct  ^^*««" 

3.  Why  was  it  hard  for  the  discipies  to  understand  Jesus  when  He 
explained  that  He  was  not  the  kind  of  Messiah  that  the  Jews  were 
expecting? 


4.  How  do  you  suppose  the  ten  disciples  happened  to  know  about 
the  interview  of  James  and  John  with  Jesus?  Who  must  have  told 
them? 


5.  What  are  some  things  which  the  ten  disciples  probably  said  to 
the  two  brothers  after  this  interview? 


6.  Which  is  likely  to  be  the  greater  physician,  the  one  whose  chief 
motive  is  the  desire  for  fees,  or  the  one  whose  chief  desire  is  to  cure 
disease  ? 


Note-book  Work.  Show  how  a  man  could  be  great,  according  to 
Jesus'  definition  of  greatness,  as  a  doctor,  as  a  business  man,  as  a 
lawyer,  or  as  a  minister.     Give  your  reasons. 

Or,  choose  some  favorite  historical  character,  and  show  how  he  was 
great,  in  this  sense. 


Lesson    31.     THE     CHRISTIAN    AND    HIS    THOUGHTS. 

"  Whatsoever  Things  are  Lovely." 

Scripture  Lesson,  Mt.  12:33-35;  Mk.  7:1-23;  Phil.  4:8,  9. 

Note  1.     The  Difficulty  of  Controlling  One's  Impulses.     **  If 

to  do,"'  says  Portia  in  the  Merchant  of  Venice,  "  were  as  easy 
as  to  know  what  were  good  to  do,  chapels  had  been  churches, 
and  poor  men's  cottages  princes'  palaces.  It  is  a  good  divine 
that  follows  his  own  instructions;  I  can  easier  teach  twenty 
what  were  good  to  be  done,  than  be  one  of  the  twenty  to 
follow  mine  own  teachings."  In  this  passage,  Shakespeare 
put  his  finger  on  the  supreme  problem  of  human  life :  how  to 
control  our  impulses,  keeping  them  in  harmony  with  our  own 
better  judgment;  how  to  conquer  the  "  sin  that  doth  so  easily 
beset  us."     We  shall  be  chiefly  occupied  with  this  question 


Thirty-one  xhe  Christian  and  his  Thoughts  171 

in  the  remainder  of  our  course.  We  shall  find  a  partial  answer 
in  this  lesson  on  the  Christian  and  his  thoughts. 

Note  2.     The  Evil   Surroundings   of  the  Early  Christians. 

The  Christian  converts  of  Paul's  day  certainly  knew  what  it 
was  to  be  surrounded  by  temptations.  In  the  large  Greco- 
Roman  cities,  such  as  Antioch,  Philippi  and  Corinth,  there 
were  sights  and  sounds  on  every  hand  which  were  intended  as 
allurements  to  evil.  It  was  almost  impossible  to  escape  from 
them.  Wickedness,  in  our  day,  usually  keeps  itself  hidden. 
Then  it  flaunted  itself  everywhere  in  men's  faces.  Moreover, 
the  beauties  of  art  were  used  far  more  than  now  to  tempt 
people  into  sin.  How  difficult  it  must  have  been  for  Chris- 
tians in  those  days  to  keep  themselves  unspotted  from  evil, 
and  to  live  clean,  upright  lives  ! 

Note  3.  Paul's  Advice  to  his  Converts.  In  order  to  help  his 
Philippian  converts  to  resist  these  ever-present  enticements 
into  wrong-doing,  Paul  gives  them  the  advice  which  is  before 
us  in  this  lesson.  He  says,  in  substance,  **  There  is  indeed 
much  evil  in  the  world  about  you,  but  there  is  goodness  also. 
You  can  find  men  and  women,  if  you  look  for  them,  who  are 
striving  to  be  just  and  honorable  and  pure  in  all  their  actions. 
Think  on  these  things.  Form  the  habit  of  looking  for  these 
things,  and  these  things  only.  As  for  the  evil,  pay  no  atten- 
tion to  it."  In  giving  this  advice,  Paul  was  following  a 
principle  set  forth  by  Jesus.  Thoughts,  Jesus  taught,  are  the 
roots  from  which  deeds  grow.  A  good  tree  brings  forth  good 
fruit,  and  a  corrupt  tree  brings  forth  evil  fruit.  "Do  men 
gather  grapes  of  thorns,  or  figs  of  thistles?  "  Evil  thoughts 
are,  therefore,  the  real  sources  of  defilement.  Evil  comes 
from  within.  Things  outside  cannot  defile  us  unless  we 
choose  to  be  defiled.  If  we  control  our  thoughts  and  keep 
them  righteous  in  God's  sight  our  actions  will  be  righteous 
also. 

Note  4.     Self-control  Means  Thought-control.     If  we  are 

guided  by  this  principle  of  Jesus  and  Paul,  we  will  fill  our 
minds  with  thoughts  of  worthy  and  noble  deeds.  It  is  true 
that  we  cannot  always  avoid  thinking  about  things  that  are 
evil.  We  have  to  think  about  our  own  faults  in  order  to  con- 
quer them..  But  when  we  must  think  about  evil,  we  can  at 
least  think  about  it  so  as  to  see  its  real  nature.     Paul  puts 


172  Christian  Life  and  Conduct  Lesson 

this  first  in  his  Ust:  "  Whatsoever  things  are  true,"  he  says, 
"  think  on  these  things."  Too  often  when  we  think  of  wrong 
actions,  we  refuse  to  think  of  them  as  wrong.  We  close  our 
eyes  to  the  evil  in  them.  As  Professor  James  says,  when  a 
drunkard  wants  to  take  a  drink,  he  tries  to  find  an  excuse 
for  it  that  will  jnake  it  seem  less  evil.  It  is  a  new  brand 
:f  liquor  which  he  really  ought  to  test ;  "  moreover,  it  is  poured 
"ut  and  it  is  a  sin  to  waste  it;  or,  others  are  drinking  and  it 
•oald  be  churlishness  to  refuse;  or,  it  is  but  to  enable  him  to 
:.33p,  or  just  to  get  through  this  job  of  work;  or,  it  isn't  drink- 
ing, it  is  because  he  feels  cold ;  or,  it  is  Christmas  day ;  or,  it  is 
SI  means  of  stimulating  him  to  make  a  more  powerful  resolution 
in  favor  of  abstinence  than  any  he  has  hitherto  made ;  or,  it  is 
just  this  once,  and  once  doesn't  count,  etc.,  etc. — it  is,  in  fact, 
anything  you  like  except  being  a  drunkard.  That  is  the  con- 
ception that  will  not  stay  before  the  poor  soul's  attention. 
But  if  he  once  gets  that  way  of  looking  at  the  matter,  that 
this  continual  drinking  is  being  a  drunkard  and  is  nothing 
else,  he  is  not  likely  to  remain  one  long."  Said  a  young 
girl,  "  My  mother  always  taught  me  that  when  sweeping  I 
should  first  sweep  the  dust  out  of  the  corners  of  the  room  into 
the  center.  Then  I  would  not  be  tempted  to  neglect  it." 
That  is  good  advice  to  follow  when  we  are  in  doubt  regarding 
a  matter  of  right  and  wrong.  If  it  is  wrong,  we  will  find  the 
real  ugliness  of  it  hidden  away  in  the  corners  of  our  mind. 
Let  us  always  sweep  the  corners  first. 

When,  however,  we  have  dragged  a  thought  out  of  its 
hiding-place  and  branded  it  as  evil,  the  next  thing  is  to  banish 
it  forev^er;  to  fill  our  minds  so  full  of  thoughts  of  good  that 
there  will  be  no  room  for  evil.  Evil  thoughts  will  indeed 
suggest  themselves  sometimes;  w^e  cannot  help  that.  It  has 
often  been  said  that  we  cannot  prevent  the  birds  flying  above 
our  heads,  but  we  can  prevent  them  from  building  their  nests 
in  our  hair.  If  we  pay  no  attention  to  evil  thoughts,  they  will 
not  trouble  us  long.  On  the  other  hand,  we  will  become  more 
and  more  deeply  absorbed  in  thoughts  of  the  things  that  are 
just  and  lovely  and  of  good  report,  and  will  find  ourselves 
doing  just  and  beautiful  deeds.  Just  as  the  best  way  to  keep 
weeds  out  of  a  garden  is  to  fill  it  with  vigorous  growing  plants, 
so  the  best  way  to  keep  evil  thoughts  out  of  the  mind  is  to 
fi^l  it  v/ith  thoughts  of  things  which  are  lovely  and  of  good 


Thirty-one  j^^  Christian  and  his  Thoughts  17; 

A  tiny  white  flower  is  said  to  grow  near  the  openings  of 
some  coal  mines.  Clouds  of  black  coal  dust  may  sweep  over 
it,  but  not  the  slightest  particle  ever  clings  to  its  petals.  It 
has  no  affinity  for  coal  dust.  So  the  man  whose  thoughts  are 
pvire  and  wholesome  and  worthy  may  live  in  the  midst  of  cor- 
ruption, but  he  will  scarcely  be  aware  of  its  presence.  He  has 
no  inward  affinity  for  it,  and  he  remains  undefiled. 

EXPLANATION  OF  SCRIPTURE  PASSAGES. 
Mt.  12:34.  Ye  offspring  of  vipers:  Jesus  is  addressing  the 
evil-minded  scribes  and  Pharisees  who  had  declared  that 
Jesus  cast  out  demons  "  by  Beelzebub  the  prince  of  the 
demons."  Mk.  7:2.  With  defiled,  that  is,  unwashen  hands: 
The  disciples,  of  course,  washed  their  hands,  so  far  as  was  need- 
ful for  cleanliness.  The  scribes  were  referring  to  ceremonial 
defilement.  According  to  the  Mosaic  law,  after  a  man  had 
touched  certain  objects  (which  might  not  have  seemed  to  us 
unclean)  he  was  thereby  made  unfit  for  sharing  in  the  worship 
of  God.  Before  entering  the  temple,  therefore,  h^  was 
required  to  wash  himself  in  a  certain  prescribed  way.  Mk. 
7:3.  Holding  the  tradition  of  the  elders:  The  Mosaic  law  did 
not  require  ceremonial  washings  before  each  meal.  This 
rule  had  been  added  by  later  scribes,  and  handed  on  to  suc- 
ceeding generations  as  a  "  tradition  of  the  elders."  Mk.  7:11. 
Corban,  .  .  .  Given  to  God:  According  to  one  of  these  "  tra- 
ditions," a  man  might  vow  to  give  his  money  to  the  temple 
at  some  distant  time,  and  meanwhile  keep  it  for  his  own  use, 
thus  relieving  himself  of  all  duty  to  support  his  aged  parents 
(see  Lesson  7).  Mk.  7:15.  There  is  nothing  from  without  the 
man,  that  going  into  him  can  defile  him:  Jesus  was  thinking 
of  the  ceremonial  defilements  which  the  scribes  so  carefully 
avoided.  He  says,  in  substance,  that  these  so-called  defile- 
ments do  not  really  defile;  that  the  ceremonial  requirements 
of  the  Levitical  law  were  based  on  a  mistaken  idea  of  religion. 
The  principle  which  Jesus  sets  forth  applies  also  to  things 
which  are  in  themselves  really  evil,  such  as  foul  language. 
Such  things  cannot  defile  us  if  we  do  not  think  about  them. 
The  things  which  proceed  out  of  the  man:  Evil  thoughts  pro- 
ceed out  of  the  man  in  the  form  of  words  and  deeds.  Phil. 
4:8.  If  there  be  any  virtue,  and  if  there  be  any  praise:  That 
is,  think  on  whatever  things  are  virtuous  and  worthy  of 
praise. 


174  Christian  Life  and  Conduct  Lesson 

THOUGHTS  FROM  OTHER  SOURCES. 

•'  Vice  is  a  monster  of  so  frightful  mien 
As,  to  be  hated,  needs  but  to  be  seen ; 
Yet  seen  too  oft,  familiar  with  her  face, 
•'  We  first  endure,  then  pity,  then  embrace," — Pope. 

DIRECTIONS  FOR  HOME  STUDY. 

Questions  on  the  Lesson.  Before  attempting  to  answer  these 
questions,  read  carefully  all  the  Scripture  passages  referred  to  at  the 
beginning  of  the  lesson. 

1.  In  the  light  of  Paul's  advice,  is  ignorance  always  an  evil?  Re- 
garding what  kind  of  things  should  one  strive  to  keep  himself  ignorant  ? 


2.  What  light  does  Paul's  advice  shed  on  the  best  method  of  reading 
newspapers?  What  sort  of  news  should  we  skip?  What  should  we 
read  thoroughly? 


3.  Three  men  go  on  a  journey,  a  farmer,  an  architect,  and  a  mer- 
chant. What  things  will  each  of  the  three  be  most  likely  to  see,  as 
they  travel  through  the  country? 


4.  A  bad  man  and  a  good  man  go  on  journeys.     What  kind  of  things 
will  each  see? 


5.  A  girl  has  promised  her  mother  to  come  home  promptly  from 
school;  but  as  she  is  on  her  way  home,  she  is  met  by  some  attractive 
friends  who  urge  her  to  come  with  them  and  have  some  fun.  Her  first 
impulse  is  to  keep  her  promise  with  her  mother,  and  refuse  to  go  with 
her  friends.  Would  she  be  more  likely  to  do  right  if  she  tried  at  once 
to  follow  that  impulse,  or  if  she  stopped  to  reason  with  herself  about 
it?     Why? 


6.  It  sometimes  happens  that  a  man  who  has  been  respected  by 
everybody  in  the  community  commits  some  shocking  crime.  In  the 
light  of  the  teachings  of  Jesus,  can  you  explain  such  apparently  sudden 
falls  into  sin? 


Thirty-two       Yhe  Christian  and  his  own  Wrong-doing  175 

7.  Mention   some   pure  and  lovely  things  that  are  good  to  think 
about. 


Note-book  Work.  Paste  in  your  note-book  the  following  passages 
besides  the  regular  lesson  clippings:  Prov.  4:23;  Jer.  4: 17,  18;  Ps.  51 : 
10;  51:17;  139:23,  24. 


Lesson  32.      THE  CHRISTIAN  AND  HIS  OWN   WRONG- 
DOING.    What  to  Do  after  One  has  Yielded  to  Temptation. 

Scripture  Lesson,  Mk.  16:7;  Lu.  15:11-24. 

Note  1.     The  Temptation  to  be  a  Quitter  in  the  Battle  of  Life. 

Occasionally  we  hear  of  a  baseball  team  whose  players  are 
described  as  "  quitters."  They  can  play  a  fine  game  so  long 
as  they  are  in  the  lead.  But  if  the  other  side  can  score  two 
or  three  runs  at  the  very  outset,  that  side  is  sure  to  win,  for 
in  such  a  case  these  quitters  "  lose  their  nerve,"  and  become 
demoralized.  There  are  other  players,  however,  who  are 
never  beaten  until  the  last  ball  is  pitched.  When  they  make 
errors,  when  the  other  side  scores  many  points  against  them, 
they  pull  themselves  together  and  fight  all  the  harder.  In 
the  end,  teams  composed  of  such  players  are  winning  teams. 
The  temptation  to  be  a  quitter  is  far  stronger  in  the  war 
against  sin  than  in  any  other  kind  of  struggle.  We  enlist  as 
soldiers  of  Christ.  We  are  full  of  hope  and  enthusiasm.  It 
seems  to  us  as  though  we  had  left  all  our  old  faults  and 
weaknesses  far  behind.  Then  suddenly  we  fall  into  wrong- 
doing. We  are  discouraged;  more  than  that,  we  are  bitterly 
ashamed  of  ourselves.  To  turn  at  once  to  God  and  ask  Him 
to  forgive  us  would  be  an  insult  to  Him,  we  think.  But  be- 
cause we  do  not  go  at  once  to  God,  we  are  almost  certain  to  be 
overcome  by  other  temptations.  Thus,  for  very  shame,  we 
drift  further  and  further  into  wrong. 

Note  2.  How  the  Younger  Son,  in  the  Parable  of  Jesus, 
Fell  into  Sin.  We  may  be  sure  that  when  the  younger  son 
left  home,  he  had  no  intention  of  "  wasting  his  substance  in 
riotous  living."  In  all  probability,  when  he  said  good-by  to 
his  father,  he  promised  him  not  to  forget  the  religion  or  the 


176  Christian  Life  and  Conduct  Lessor, 

moral  principles  which  he  had  learned  at  his  mother's  knee. 
Nor  did  he  mean  to  break  that  promise.  He  was  simply 
tired  of  the  old  home  village.  He  wanted  to  have  some  fun. 
He  wanted  to  see  the  world  and  its  wonders.  But,  alas ! 
when  he  reached  the  far  country,  having  plenty  of  money,  he 
soon  had  plenty  of  false  friends,  who  were  eager  to  "  show 
him  a  good  time."  By  and  by  came  the  first  misstep,  the  first 
drunken  debauch,  the  first  visit  to  a  gambling  den.  We  can 
easily  imagine  the  waves  of  shame  that  swept  over  him  then, 
as  he  thought  of  his  kind  old  father,  and  of  all  the  pure  asso- 
ciations of  his  home.  "  How  can  I  ever  look  them  in  the  face 
again?"  he  asked  himself.  Made  desperate  by  these  thoughts, 
he  plunged  deeper  and  deeper  into  sin. 

Note   3.     How   the   Younger    Son   Escaped  from   his    Sin. 

Trouble  and  misfortune  were  at  last  his  teachers,  as  they  have 
been  for  many  others.  The  shock  of  actual  poverty  and  the 
piQch  of  hunger  stimulated  his  mind  and  will.  All  at  once  it 
occurred  to  him  as  he  stood  by  the  pig  pens  of  his  employer, 
that  the  door  of  hope  was  not  yet  closed,  that  it  had  never 
been  closed.  It  was  still  possible  to  go  back  to  his  father  and 
make  a  clean  breast  of  it;  and  he  had  faith  enough  in  his 
father's  goodness  to  believe  that  he  would  not  be  allowed  to 
starve.  He  would  at  least  be  received  as  one  of  his  father's 
hired  servants;  and  how  much  better  to  work  for  his  father 
than  to  feed  swine  in  this  accursed  land !  So  "  he  arose  and 
came  to  his  father  "  ;  and  he  did  indeed  confess  his  sin  to  his 
father.  "  I  have  sinned  against  heaven  and  in  thy  sight,  and 
am  no  more  worthy  to  be  called  thy  son."  But  instead  of 
being  received  as  a  hired  servant,  he  was  treated  with  a  kind- 
ness far  beyond  his  dreams;  a  kindness  which  must  have 
fairly  broken  his  heart  in  contrite  love.  He  was  taken  back 
into  the  family  again,  and  was  given  the  chance  to  begin  life 
anew. 

Note  4.     What  to  Do  after  we  have  Yielded  to  Temptation. 

This  parable  teaches  us  that  when  we  have  fallen  into  sin, 
God  is  always  ready  to  give  us  another  chance.  The  past  is 
indeed  shameful,  and  it  cannot  be  wiped  out.  But  the 
future  is  God's  and  ours,  and  its  possibilities  are  almost 
limitless.  We  have  but  to  turn  our  back  upon  our  sin,  and 
confess  our  wrong-doing  to  God  and,  as  far  as  possible,  to 
those  human  beings  whom  we  have  injured.     Peter  had  been  a 


Thirty-two       jj^^  Christian  and  his  own  Wrong-doing  177 

leader  among  the  disciples  of  Jesus,  but  on  the  night  when 
Jesus  was  arrested,  in  a  moment  of  weakness,  Peter  denied 
his  Lord,  and  then  "  went  out  and  wept  bitterly."  Yet 
afterwards,  when  there  came  a  message  from  the  loving 
Master  to  the  scattered  and  heart-broken  disciples,  it  was 
Peter  who  was  singled  out  by  name.  "  Go,  tell  his  disciples, 
and  Peter."     Peter  was  to  have  another  chance. 

We  may  also  learn  from  the  parable  of  the  prodigal  son  that 
we  ought  to  avail  ourselves  of  God's  goodness  at  once.  The 
boy  in  the  far  country  need  not  have  waited  until  he  was 
ready  to  devour  "  the  husks  which  the  swine  did  eat."  The 
shame  of  that  first  wrong-doing  should  have  driven  him  home 
to  his  father,  instead  of  further  in  his  evil  way.  Suppose 
Peter  had  said  to  the  messenger,  "  I  will  not  go  to  Galilee 
to  meet  the  Lord.  I  would  be  ashamed  to  have  Him  see  me. 
I  could  not  lift  up  my  head  in  His  presence."  How  foolish, 
how  wrong  that  would  have  been !  If  God  is  ready  to  give 
us  another  chance,  surely  our  first  duty  is  to  respond  with 
eagerness  to  His  kind  offer,  to  spring  forward  gladly  and  seize 
the  splendid  opportunity. 

Many  centuries  ago,  a  young  sculptor  began  working  on  a 
piece  of  beautiful  Carrara  marble,  seeking  to  carve  a  statue. 
He  was  unskilful,  however,  and  after  hacking  at  the  marble 
for  a  few  hours,  threw  it  away  as  spoiled.  A  few  days  later 
Michael  Angelo  came  down  the  street,  and  saw  the  discarded 
marble  lying  in  a  pile  of  stone  chips  in  the  gutter.  He  took 
it  home  with  him,  and  carved  out  of  it  his  wonderful  statue 
of  David.  Many  a  man  has  considered  his  own  life  spoiled, 
and  has  proceeded  to  fling  himself  into  the  gutter  of  sin. 
Afterwards,  however,  God  has  said  to  that  man,  "  If  you  will 
help  me,  your  life  can  even  yet  be  molded  into  a  noble  and 
beautiful  character."  Surely,  when  God  Himself  appeals 
thus  to  a  man,  only  a  "  quitter  "  will  fail  to  respond. 

EXPLANATION  OF  SCRIPTURE  PASSAGES. 
Lu.  15:12.  Father,  give  me  the  portion  of  thy  substance 
that  falleth  to  me:  This  would  be  one-third  (Deut.  21 :  17).  In 
modern  times  he  would  have  no  right  to  it  until  his  father's 
death.  In  ancient  times,  however,  such  requests  as  this  were 
by  no  means  unheard  of.  Lu.  15:16.  The  husks  that  the 
swine  did  eat:  The  pods  of  the  carob  or  locust  tree,  still 
common  in  Palestine.     Poor  people  eat  them  occasionally. 


178  Christian  Life  and  Conduct  ^^^^ 

THOUGHTS  FROM  OTHER  SOURCES. 

*'  It  is  but  to  keep  the  nerves  at  strain, 
To  dry  one's  eyes  and  laugh  at  a  fall, 
And  baffled,  get  up  and  begin  again — 

So  the  chase  takes  up  one's  life,  that's  all." — Browning. 

"  One  who  never  turned  his  back,  but  marched  breast-forward, 
Never  doubted  clouds  would  break, 

Never  dreamed,  though  right  were  worsted,  wrong  would  triumph, 
Held  we  fall  to  rise,  are  baffled  to  fight  better,     • 
Sleep  to  wake." — Browning. 

DIRECTIONS  FOR  HOME  STUDY. 

Questions  on  the  Lesson.  Before  attempting  to  answer  these 
questions,  read  carefully  the  Scripture  passages  referred  to  at  the 
beginning  of  the  lesson. 

1.  Of  what  distant  land  or  city  might  Jesus  have  been  thinking  when 
He  described  the  younger  son  as  going  "  into  a  far  country  "? 


2.  Was  the  young  man  prompted  by  low  or  high  motives  when  he 
resolved  to  go  back  home?     (Lu.  15: 17.) 


3.  Describe    his    probable  appearance  when    his    father    saw    him 
coming. 


4.  What  might  the  father  have  said  to  him? 


5.  When  the  women  went  to  give  to  the  disciples  their  message  from 
the  risen  Master,  do  you  suppose  they  found  Peter  with  the  others,  or 
alone  ? 


6.  What  did  Peter  probably  answer  when  the  women  said  to  him, 
"  The  Master  sent  this  message  especially  to  you,  Peter  "? 


Thirty-three  jhe  Christian's  Liberty  179 

7.   When  we  decide  to  follow  Christ,  do  we  take  into  the  Christian 
life  any  of  our  faults  and  weaknesses? 


8.  When  we  have  done  wrong,  to  whom  should  we  confess  our  sin? 


9.  When  a  person  covers  up  his  wrong-doing,  what  harm  does  he  do 
to  his  own  moral  character? 


Note-book  Work.    ,Write  a  brief  essay,  showing  that  to  apologize  for 
wrong-doing  is  a  sign  of  strength  rather  than  weakness  of  character. 


Lesson  33.     THE  CHRISTIAN'S  LIBERTY.     The  Harmony 
between  Freedom  and  Law. 

Scripture  Lesson,  Mt.  5:41;  Gal.  5:1,  13-15;  Jas.  1:25. 

Note  1.  The  Slavery  of  Mere  Duty-doing.  A  young  girl 
was  talking  about  a  certain  course  of  action.  "  I  know  it 
is  my  duty,"  she  said,  **  because  I  hate  it  so."  That  girl 
doubtless  recognized  that  the  requirements  of  duty  were 
reasonable  and  necessary.  Nevertheless,  in  her  experience, 
duty  had  very  often  seemed  to  mean  something  hard  and 
disagreeable.  Her  life  had  therefore  been  a  kind  of  slavery 
in  which  duty  was  the  task-master.  She  had  been  accus- 
tomed to  say  to  herself,  "  I  suppose  I  must  do  this,  because 
it  is  my  duty^  but  I  do  not  want  to  do  it."  We  frequently 
hear  persons  speak  of  the  '*  thorny  path  of  duty."  Indeed, 
Jesus  Himself  tells  us,  "  Narrow  is  the  gate,  and  straitened 
the  way,  that  leadeth  unto  life."  Is  it  necessary,  however, 
that  we  should  go  forever  along  that  straight  and  narrow 
way,  like  cattle  past  a  clover  field,  looking  longingly  over 
the  fence  at  pleasures  which  are  forbidden?  Is  the  Christian 
life  a  cheerless  slavery? 


180  Christian  Life  and  Conduct  '^^^ 

Note  2.  The  Duty-doing  of  the  Pharisees.  Religion  as 
taught  by  the  Pharisees  was  indeed  just  such  a  burdensome 
slavery.  They  thought  of  religion  as  merely  obedience  to 
the  law  of  Moses,  and  the  traditions  of  the  elders.  They 
sought,  as  it  were,  to  give  men  an  exact  list  of  the  things 
which  they  were  required  to  perform  for  God;  at  the  same 
time,  they  said  very  little  about  the  things  which  God  in 
His  goodness  does  for  men.  As  a  result,  their  hearts  were 
seldom  stirred  with  love  for  God,  and  they  spent  their  lives 
in  the  effort  to  keep  all  those  laws  and  traditions,  just  for  the 
sake  of  the  reward  which  they  hoped  to  gain,  or  just  because 
those  things  were  commanded,  and  they  felt  that  it  was 
their  duty  to  obey.  They  were  slaves  to  the  law.  Paul 
tells  us  that  he  himself,  before  his  conversion,  had  lived  just 
this  kind  of  life,  a  life  of  slavery.  "  I  consent  unto  the 
law  that  it  is  good,"  he  says,  speaking  *of  his  former  ex- 
periences (Rom.  7:16-24).  But,  ''the  good  which  I  would 
I  do  not:  but  the  evil  which  I  would  not,  that  I  practise." 
In  other  words,  he  had  tried  to  keep  the  law,  but  he  had 
been  unable  to  put  his  whole  heart  into  it.  As  a  result,  he 
had  constantly  found  himself  disobeying  this  injunction  or 
that;  and  even  when  he  was  most  successful  in  keeping  the 
whole  law,  his  life  had  been  a  weary,  joyless  slavery. 

Note  3r  PauPs  Gospel  of  Christian  Liberty.  When  Paul 
became  a  Christian,  however,  he  passed  from  bondage  into 
freedom.  "  For  freedom  did  Christ  set  us  free,"  he  says. 
When  he  came  to  know  Christ  as  his  Saviour,  a  new  motive 
entered  into  his  heart,  the  motive  of  love  for  Christ,  and  for  the 
infinitely  loving  Father,  whom  Christ  revealed  to  men.  Be- 
cause of  this  new  love,  he  was  eager  to  do  God's  will.  Duty  to 
him  was  no  longer  something  he  had  to  do,  but  something  he 
ivanted  to  do.  He  was  no  longer  God's  slave,  but  one  of  God's 
free  sons.  We  see  the  same  kind  of  change,  sometimes,  in  the 
attitude  of  a  son  toward  his  human  father.  For  a  time,  he  does 
not  appreciate  his  father's  goodness.  He  obeys,  grudgingly,  his 
father's  commands,  just  as  a  slave  might  obey  them.  After 
a  time,  however,  he  comes  to  know  his  father  better,  and  his 
heart  is  filled  with  a  new  love  for  his  father.  From  that  time 
on,  father  and  son  are  like  friends  and  partners,  working 
enthusiastically  together,  with  common  desires  and  purposes. 
So  Paul  says,  when  we  become  Christians,  "  God  sent  forth 


Thirty-three  xhe  Christian's  Liberty  181 

the  Spirit  of  his  Son  into  our  hearts,  crying,  Abba,  Father. 
So  that  thou  art  no  longer  a  bondservant,  but  a  son  "  (Gal. 
4:6,  7).  God's  law  had  become  to  him,  as  Jesus  puts  it,  "  a 
law  of  liberty  " ;  that  is,  a  law  which,  as  a  Christian,  he  was 
eager  to  obey  of  his  own  free  will. 

Paul  wrote  this  letter  to  his  Christian  converts  in  Galatia, 
because  their  Christianity  was  in  danger  of  becoming  nothing 
but  a  kind  of  Judaism.  They  were  not  Jews  by  race,  and 
as  Christians  they  had  never  kept  the  ceremonial  require- 
ments of  the  Jewish  law.  But  certain  Jewish  Christians 
visited  them  in  Paul's  absence,  and  told  them  that  they 
could  not  be  Christians  unless  they  kept  all  the  minute 
details  of  the  Mosaic  law.  As  soon  as  Paul  heard  about  it, 
he  sent  them  this  letter:  "  If  you  listen  to  these  men,"  he 
said  in  substance,  **  and  spend  your  energies  in  the  effort 
to  conform  to  all  these  Jewish  regulations,  your  religion  will 
sink  into  a  mere  slavery,  with  no  love  in  it  at  all.  The 
Christian  life,"  he  said,  **  is  a  life  of  love.  If  you  have  love 
in  your  hearts  you  will  indeed  obey  all  that  is  really  essential 
in  the  Jewish  law;  for  the  whole  law  is  fulfilled  in  one  word. 
Thou  shalt  love  thy  neighbor  as  thyself.  You  will  not  obey, 
however,  just  because  you  feel  that  the  law  compels  you  to 
obey,  but  because  you  really  want  to  do  the  things  which  the 
law  requires.  You  will  be  free  men,  not  slaves.  Stand 
fast,  therefore,  and  be  not  entangled  again  in  the  yoke  of 
bondage." 

Note  4.  How  to  Live  a  Life  of  Freedom.  Many  good 
people  now,  as  in  ancient  times,  never  rise  to  a  higher  form- 
of  religion  than  that  of  the  Pharisees.  Life  to  them  is  one 
long  slavery  to  duty.  Moreover,  it  is  still  possible  for  a 
Christian  to  slip  back  into  that  lower  kind  of  religion,  like 
Paul's  Galatian  converts.  We  have  felt  the  new  motive 
of  love,  and  yet  sometimes  that  motive  seems  to  lose  its 
power;  the  thought  of  God's  goodness  fails  to  stir  our  hearts; 
duty  seems  hard;  and  life  seems  to  have  become  once  more 
a  slavery.  What  shall  we  do  at  such  times,  in  order  to  be  free 
men  once  more? 

Jesus  has  an  answer  to  that  question,  very  wise,  and  yet 
very  simple.  He  expresses  the  gist  of  it  in  the  verse  referred 
to  in  our  lesson,  "  Whosoever  shall  compel  thee  to  go  one 
mile,  go  with  him  two."     This  is  a  figure  of  speech  drawn 


182  Christian  Life  and  Conduct  ^««^ 

from  life  in  Palestine.  Roman  soldiers  marching  through 
the  country  frequently  compelled  the  native  Jews  to  go 
with  them  as  burden-bearers.  A  Jew  could  hardly  imagine 
a  more  hateful  task.  Yet  Jesus  says,  When  the  Roman 
oppressor  orders  you  to  go  with  him  one  mile,  instead  of 
doing  only  that  and  then  throwing  the  burden  down  and 
parting  with  him  as  an  enemy,  go  with  him  two,  surprise 
him  by  your  cheerful  spirit,  and  win  him  for  a  friend.  In 
other  words,  when  duty  seems  to  you  hateful  and  bitter, 
you  can  sweeten  the  bitterness  of  it  by  saying,  I  will  do 
more  than  my  duty.  If  the  rules  in  school  seem  hard,  try 
to  do  more  than  merely  to  obey  the  rules.  Use  your  in- 
fluence among  your  classmates  to  promote  the  spirit  of  loyalty 
to  the  school.  If  work  seems  disagreeable,  do  not  stop  when 
the  whistle  blows,  but  work  over  time  a  little  while.  A 
small  boy  was  once  sent  to  a  blackberry  patch  to  pick  two 
quarts  of  berries.  It  was  a  hot  day,  and  he  did  not  relish 
the  task.  But  the  thought  came  to  him,  "  What  fun!  I'll 
surprise  the  fam.ily  by  picking  four  quarts  instead  of  two." 
So  he  worked  busily  away,  whistling  a  cheery  tune;  and 
he  was  surprised  when  his  four  quarts  were  picked,  so  quickly 
had  the  minutes  flown.  This  is  what  Jesus  means  by  going 
the  second  mile.  To  go  one  mile  in  a  hateful  spirit  is  bond- 
age ;  but  to  go  two  miles  willingly  and  cheerfully  transforms 
the  bondage  into  freedom.  "  Nothing  is  hard,"  as  the  old 
adage  says,  **  that  is  done  willingly." 

EXPLANATION  OF  SCRIPTURE  PASSAGES. 
Gal.  5:13.  Use  not  your  freedom  for  an  occasion  to  the 
flesh:  Christian  freedom  does  not  mean  license.  Through 
love  be  servants  one  to  another:  The  life  of  love  may  be 
called  a  life  of  service  or  slavery.  Paul  calls  himself  the 
bond-slave  of  Christ.  But  this  slavery  is  a  voluntary  slavery, 
and  is  sweet,  not  bitter.  Gal.  5:15:  If  ye  bite  and  devour 
one  another:  The  Jewish  teachers  who  had  come  among 
them  had  stirred  up  angry  strife.  Take  heed  that  ye  be  not 
consumed:  That  is,  as  a  Christian  community. 

THOUGHTS  FROM  OTHER  SOURCES. 

"  It  is  not  doing  the  thing  we  like  to  do,  but  liking  to  do  the  thing 
we  have  to  do,  that  makes  life  blpssed." — Goethe. 

"  Duty  nor  lifts  her  veil  nor  looks  behind; 
But  as  she  spoke,  a  loosened  lock  of  hair 


Thirty-three  jke  Christian's  Liberty  183 

Slipped  from  beneath  her  hood,  and  I  who  looked 

To  see  it  gray  and  thin,  saw  amplest  gold ; 

Not  that  dull  metal  dug  from  sordid  earth, 

But  such  as  the  retiring  sunset  flood 

Leaves  heaped  on  bays  and  capes  of  island  cloud," 

DIRECTIONS  FOR  HOME  STUDY. 

Questions  on  the  Lesson.  Before  answering  these  questions  read 
carefully  all  the  Scripture  passages  referred  to  at  the  beginning  of  the 
lesson. 

1.  When  Paul  insisted  that  his  Gentile  converts  need  not  keep  the 
Jewish  ceremonial  law,  some  persons  called  him  a  "  men-pleaser," 
meaning  that  he  tried  to  make  the  Christian  life  easy,  although  Jesus 
had  taught  that  it  was  hard.  How  would  you  have  answered  these 
persons? 


2.  Is  it  probab'c  that  the  Galatians  desired  to  keep  the  ceremonial 
law  because  of  th  .t  love  for  Jesus,  or  because  they  were  afraid  of  not 
going  to  heaven  ? 


3.  Is  it  sometimes  easier  to  do  hard  things  than  easy  things  ?     Why  i 
Give  an  illustration. 


4.  Imagine  two  musicians;  one  is  absorbed  in  his  desire  to  play  all 
his  notes  correctly,  but  his  playing  is  mechanical ;  the  other  is  equally 
careful  to  be  correct  in  his  playing,  and  in  addition  he  loves  his  music. 
To  which  of  these  two  would  you  rather  listen  ? 


5.  Sometimes  persons  excuse  themselves  for  not  doing  more  for 
some  associate  in  the  way  of  unselfish  kindness  by  saying,  "  Well, 
I  did  my  duty  by  that  person,  anyhow."  What  do  you  think  Jesus 
would  have  said,  in  such  a  case? 


6.  Suppose  some  one  had  said  to  Jesus,  "  A  certain  person  keeps 
injuring  me,  and  then  coming  and  begging  my  pardon.  How  many 
times  is  it  my  duty  to  forgive  him?  "  What  do  you  think  Jesus 
would  have  answered? 


184  Christian  Life  and  Conduct  Le%»on 

7.  In  a  certain  home,  the  members  of  the  family  are  always  standing 
up  for  their  rights,  and  never  do  any  more  for  one  another  than  their 
bare  duty.  In  another  home,  almost  every  day,  littte  unexpected 
courtesies  and  kindnesses  are  being  done.  To  which  of  these  two 
families  would  you  rather  belong?     Why? 


8.  A  man  had  an  illness  which  kept  him  an  invalid  for  many  months. 
At  first  he  did  nothing  but  worry  and  fret,  because  of  the  good  times 
he  was  missing.  What  would  you  advise  such  a  person,  in  the  light 
of  Jesus'  teaching  about  "  the  second  mile  "? 


Note-book  Work.  The  gist  of  Paul's  letter  to  the  Galatians  is 
contained  in  the  following  passages:  chs.  1,  2'  ''^il-G;  3:23 — 4:7; 
chs.  5,  6.     Cut  these  out  and  paste  them  in  your  i_v'  te-book. 


Lesson  34.     THE  LIFE  OF  FAITH.     Strength  from  God, 
and  how  we  may  Have  it. 

Scripture  Lesson,  Mt.  7:24-27. 

Note  L  Are  we  Prepared  to  Meet  Temptation?  A  young 
clerk,  in  a  moment  of  unusual  temptation,  stole  money  from 
his  employer's  till.  A  few  days  later,  in  his  prison  cell,  he 
said  to  a  friend,  "  I  never  supposed  that  I  could  do  such  a 
thing.  It  all  seems  to  me  like  an  unreal  dream."  If 
you  and  I  should  he  suddenly  assailed  with  just  such  an 
overpowering  temptation,  are  we  sure  that  we  would*  come 
out  of  it  victoriously?  Is  it  not  possible  that  many  a  man 
who  considers  himself  respectable  and  honorable  is  really 
no  better  and  no  worse  at  heart  than  some  who  are  branded 
by  society  as  criminals?  Mr.  Spurgeon  once  remarked  that 
the  human  heart  is  a  powder  magazine.  If  there  has  never 
been  a  terrible  explosion  in  our  lives,  it  is  probably  because 
God  has  kept  away  the  sparks.  Surely  we  need  to  ask  our- 
selves with  all  earnestness  this  question:  Are  we  preparing 
ourselves  as  well  as  we  can  to  meet  life's  hard  tests,  whenever 
they  may  come? 


Thirty-four  jhe  Life  of  Faith  185 

Note  2.  House-building  in  Palestine.  The  most  fertile 
land  in  all  countries  is  usually  found  in  river  valleys.  ,  Many 
villages,  therefore,  in  Palestine,  as  everywhere,  were  built 
along  the  sides  of  brooks  and  rivers.  Palestine  has  a  dry 
season  and  a  rainy  season.  Many  brooks,  or  **  wadies," 
run  entirely  dry  in  the  hot  months.  The  summer  visitor 
would  never  suppose  that  the  inhabitants  of  a  village  near  one 
of  these  dry  brook-beds  could  ever  be  in  serious  danger  from 
floods.  Jesus,  however,  pictures  two  men  building  their 
houses  in  such  a  village.  One  of  them  realized  that  although 
there  was  at  that  time  not  a  drop  of  water  in  the  brook, 
nevertheless,  a  rainy  season  was  coming  by  and  by ;  so  he  dug 
down  to  bed-rock  and  laid  his  foundation  upon  it.  The 
other  man,  however,  took  no  such  precautions,  and  built 
his  house  on  the  surface  of  the  ground.  For  months,  perhaps 
even  for  years,  all  went  well.  But  there  came  a  year  when 
there  was  an  unusually  heavy  fall  of  rain  in  the  springtime. 
A  flood  came  sweeping  down  from  the  hills.  The  brook 
overflowed  its  banks  and  rose  into  the  streets  of  the  village. 
The  foaming  yellow  torrent  swept  past  the  houses,  eating 
away  great  quantities  of  the  loose  sandy  soil.  As  a  result, 
the  house  of  the  foolish  builder  was  undermined  and  fell  in 
ruins,  a  mere  heap  of  stones  and  mortar.  The  house  of  the 
wise  builder,  however,  stood  firm  through  wind  and  flood, 
"  for  it  was  founded  on  a  rock." 

Note  3.  The  Meaning  of  the  Parable  of  Jesus.  This 
parable  was  spoken  as  the  conclusion  of  the  Sermon  on  the 
Mount.  Jesus  had  been  calling  upon  His  follow^ers  to  live 
as  children  of  the  heavenly  Father,  humbly  looking  to  Him 
for  strength.  Now  He  adds  a  final  appeal,  urging  them  not 
to  ignore  His  message,  but  to  act  upon  it  without  delay.  For 
a  time.  He  means,  you  may  get  along  very  well  in  your  own 
strength,  apart  from  God.  'But  life  is  not  all  fair  weather. 
Storms  of  temptation  are  sure  to  come,  when  the  rains  descend, 
and  the  floods  come,  and  the  winds  blow;  at  such  times,  one's 
character  needs  to  be  founded  on  the  Rock  of  Ages,  other- 
wise, "  great  will  be  the  fall  thereof."  In  short,  the  parable 
warns  us  against  self-sufficiency,  and  bids  us  live  the  life  of 
faith,  not  trusting  in  our  own  feeble  wills,  but  looking  for 
help  to  the  power  of  God. 

Note  4.     How  we  may  have  Strength  from  God.     God  is 


186  Christian  Life  and  Conduct  ^^^^ 

giving  us  strength  all  the  time.  Our  physical  strength  comes 
from  Him,  and  is  a  valuable  help  in  resisting  temptation. 
Many  a  fall  into  sin  is  due,  in  part,  to  physical  exhaustion. 
Statistics  show  that  a  larger  number  of  crimes  are  committed 
on  Saturday  nights  than  at  any  other  time  in  the  week.  Men 
are  tired  after  their  week  of  labor,  and,  with  their  week's 
wages  in  hand,  yield  more  easily  to  the  forces  of  evil.  If 
we  would  win  moral  victories,  let  us  not  waste  the  physical 
strength  which  God  gives  us.  The  gospels  indicate  that 
Jesus  was  a  perfect  specimen  of  physical  manhood.  The 
follower  of  Jesus,  likewise,  should  aim  at  physical  perfection. 
This  does  not  necessarily  mean  great  muscular  strength; 
it  does  mean,  however,  good  health;  not  passable  health, 
but  abounding  health.  To  this  end,  we  should  be  careful 
to  get  sufficient  sleep,  and  at  regular  hours;  we  should  be 
judicious  in  matters  of  food  and  exercise.  So  far  as  possible, 
we  should  be  at  all  times  full  of  physical  energy  and  vitality. 
In  this  way  we  shall  avoid  many  a  disastrous  defeat  in  our 
warfare  against  sin. 

God  is  giving  us  spiritual  strength,  also,  every  day.  All 
our  aspirations  after  goodness,  all  our  purposes  to  do  right, 
are  from  Him. 

"  And  every  virtue  we  possess, 
And  every  victory  won, 
And  every  thought  of  holiness, 
Are  his,  alone." 

Through  prayer  we  may  make  it  possible  for  God  to  send  us 
more   of  this  inner  strength. 

God  has  also  provided  external  sources  of  spiritual  strength. 
Among  the  most  important  are  the  weekly  services  of  the 
church  for  public  worship,  and  the  Bible.  Through  attend- 
ance at  church  and  through  Bible  study  we  gain  fresh  in- 
spiration. Enthusiasm  is  contagious.  From  the  minister 
and  from  the  worshiping  congregation  we  catch  new  enthu- 
siasm for  the  Christian  life.  When  we  read  the  Bible,  we 
come  under  the  influence  of  the  great  leaders  and  teachers 
of  the  Hebrews  and  the  early  Christians;  above  all,  we  are 
brought  -in  touch  with  the  divine  personality  of  Jesus  Christ. 
To  attempt  to  live  the  Christian  life  apart  from  these  sources 
of  divine  power  is  to  build  our  house  upon  the  sand.  A  small 
steamer  was  once  overtaken  by  a  terrible  storm  in  the  Bay 
of  Biscay,  just  off  the  northern  shore  of  Spain.     Being  unable 


rhnty-four  xhe  Life  of  Faith  187 

to  make  headway  against  the  gale,  the  captain  ordered  the 
seamen  to  cast  anchor  and  wait  for  the  storm  to  subside. 
For  a  time,  to  his  dismay,  the  steamer  dragged  her  anchor; 
slowly  but  surely  she  was  being  driven  on  the  rocks.  After 
some  anxious  minutes,  however,  the  anchor  suddenly  held 
fast,  and  continued  to  hold  fast  through  the  long,  stormy 
night.  When  morning  came,  they  prepared  to  resume  the 
voyage,  and  lifted  the  anchor;  and  they  found  what  it 
was  that  had  saved  them  from  shipwreck.  A  great  man-of- 
war  had  passed  that  way  some  years  before  and  had  lost  her 
anchor.  On  this  stormy  night  the  prong  of  the  smaller  anchor 
was  dragged  at  first  along  the  sea-bottom  by  the  force  of 
the  wind;  but  finally  came  in  contact  with  the  great  anchor 
of  the  warship  which  lay  there  embedded  in  the  mud,  and 
was  caught  on  one  of  its  great  arms.  Thus  may  we  be  saved 
from  moral  shipwreck.  It  was  apparently  a  mere  accident 
that  the  small  anchor  grappled  the  large  one  with  its  prong. 
'But  day  by  day,  week  by  week,  we  may  bring  ourselves, 
if  we  choose,  within  the  range  of  unfailing  divine  influence — 
Christ,  the  church,  and  the  Bible;  and  when  temptations 
come,  we  shall  indeed  be  securely  anchored,  and  shall  be  able 
to  weather  the  storm. 

EXPLANATION  OF  SCRIPTURE  PASSAGES. 
Mt.  7:24.     Shall  be  likened:  Or,  as  in  Luke's  version,  "  he 
is  like"  (Lu.  6:47-49). 

THOUGHTS  FROM  OTHER  SOURCES. 

"  Like  the  tide  on  a  crescent  sea  beach, 

When  the  moon  is  new  and  thin, 
Into  our  hearts  high  yearnings 

Come  welling  and  surging  in. 
Come  from  the  mystic  ocean, 

Whose  rim  no  foot  has  trod; 
Some  of  us  call  it  longing, 

And  others  call  it  God." 

**  We  may  not  climb  the  heavenly  steeps 
To  bring  the  Lord  Christ  down; 
In  vain  we  search  the  lowest  deeps, 
For  Him  no  depths  can  drown. 


**  But  warm,  sweet,  tender,  even  ^'■et, 
A  present  help  is  He ; 


188  Christian  Life  and  Conduct  Lesson 

For  faith  has  still  its  Olivet, 
And  love  its  Galilee. 

•*  The  healing  of  His  seamless  dress 
Is  by  our  beds  of  pain ; 
We  touch  Him  in  life's  throng  and  press, 
And  we  are  whole  again." 

— Whittier. 

DIRECTIONS  FOR  STUDY. 

Questions  on  the  Lesson.  Before  attempting  to  answer  these 
questions,  read  carefully  the  Scripture  passages  referred  to  at  the  be- 
ginning of  the  lesson. 

1.  Which  of  the  two  builders  described  by  Jesus  probably  finished 
his  house  first  ? 


2.  Why  was  it  harder  to  build  on  the  rock  than  on  the  sand  ? 


3.   What  did  the  foolish  builder  probably  say  to  the  wise  builder 
while  they  were  at  their  work? 


4.   When  the  big  flood  came,  what  might  the  wise  builder  have  said 
to  the  foolish  builder? 


5.  Mention  examples  of  great  achievements  which  men  have  ac- 
complished by  using  the  forces  of  nature. 


6.  Mention  some  influences  which  have  helped  you  to  be  good. 


7.  Do  you  think  that  the  forces  of  evil  are  able  to  exert  a  stronger 
influence  upon  us  than  the  forces  of  goodness?  Or  are  the  forces  of 
goodness  the  stronger? 


Tidrty-five       xhe  Christian  and  his  Heavenly  Father  189 

8.  What  parts  of  the  Bible  have  influenced  you  the  most  ? 


Note-book  Work.  Make  a  collection  of  clippings  from  the  Bible 
which  promise  help  from  God.  Begin  with  the  following  :  Phil.  4:13; 
Is.  40:29-31. 


Lesson  35.    THE  CHRISTIAN  AND  HIS  HEAVENLY 
FATHER.     Learning  how  to  Pray. 

Scripture  Lesson,  Mt.  6:5-15;  7:7-11. 

Note  1.  What  is  the  Value  of  Prayer?  A  small  boy  once 
prayed  to  God  to  send  him  a  bicycle.  For  many  days  he 
included  this  petition  in  his  daily  prayer,  but  he  never  pos- 
sessed a  bicycle  until  he  earned  the  money  by  his  own  labor 
to  buy  one.  As  a  result  of  this  experience  he  said  to  himself, 
**  What  is  the  use  of  praying  for  things?  What  does  prayer 
amount  to,  any  way?  "  This  is  the  question  which  we  are 
to  consider  in  this  lesson.     What  is  the  real  value  of  prayer? 

Note   2.     The  Vain   Repetitions   of  Heathen   Prayers.     In 

ancient  times,  when  men  found  that  their  pra3^ers  were  not 
answered,  they  tried  to  attract  God's  attention  by  repeating 
over  and  over  the  wcf  ds  of  their  petitions.  They  were  like 
children  who  seek  to  wear  out  their  parents  by  constant 
teasing,  and  think  that  thus  they  will  get  what  they  want. 
Certain  words  and  certain  forms  of  petition  were  supposed 
to  have  a  kind  of  magical  influence  on  God,  so  that  if  these 
expressions  were  employed  often  enough  He  could  not  help 
granting  their  requests.  These  ideas  of  prayer  are  common 
in  heathen  lands  to-day.  In  China,  gongs  are  sounded  and 
firecrackers  are  exploded,  in  order  to  attract  the  attention 
of  the  deity.  In  Thibet  petitions  are  written  on  slips  of 
paper  and  attached  to  **  prayer- wheels,"  as  they  are  called, 
and  the  wheels  are  revolved  by  hand,  or  by  the  wind,  or  by 
water-power.  Each  revolution  is  considered  equivalent  to  a 
repetition  of  the  prayer.  Even  in  Christian  lands,  many 
persons  seem  to  think  that  if  they  pra}^  loud  enough  or  long 
enough,  God  will  grant  them  benefits  which  He  could  not 
otherwise  be  persuaded  to  give. 


1 90  Christian  Life  and  Conduct  ^^««<"^ 

Note   3.     The   New  Teaching   of   Jesus   regarding  Prayer, 

Even  if  no  words  of  Jesus  had  been  handed  down  to  us  regard- 
ing prayer,  we  could  infer  from  a  study  of  His  other  teachings 
what  He  would  have  said  regarding  it.  He  taught  that  God 
is  our  wise  and  loving  Father ;  surely,  then,  He  knows  better 
than  we  ourselves  what  is  good  for  us ;  and  to  try  to  force  Ilim 
to  gratify  our  desires,  just  as  children  try  to  over-ride  their 
parents'  better  judgment  by  much  teasing,  is  not  only  foohsh 
but  wrong.  And,  indeed,  we  find  that  Jesus  did  condemn 
that  kind  of  prayer.  "  In  praying  use  not  vain  repetitions, 
as  the  Gentiles  do.  .  .  .  For  your  Father  knoweth  what 
things  ye  have  need  of,  before  ye  ask  him."  The  question 
then  arises,  If  God  knows  what  is  good  for  us,  and  in  His  love 
provides  for  all  our  needs,  why  trouble  Him  with  our  peti- 
tions? 

Jesus  answered  that  question  by  giving  His  disciples  a 
concrete  example  of  prayer.  After  this  manner  pray  ye: 
"  Our  Father,  .  .  .  thy  kingdom  come."  This  is  the  ke}^- 
note  of  the  Lord's  Prayer.  The  sentence  which  follows 
simply  explains  what  is  meant  by  the  coming  of  God's 
kingdom,  namely,  "  Thy  will  be  done  on  earth  as  it  is  in 
heaven."  The  petition  for  bread,  in  this  context,,  must  be 
interpreted  as  meaning,  "  We  trust  Thee  to  give  us  our  need- 
ful food,  that  we  may  do  Thy  will."  The  petition  for  for- 
giveness and  for  deliverance  from  sin,  is  clearly  a  petition 
that  God's  kingdom  may  come  in  our  own  hearts.  The  whole 
prayer  may  be  summed  up  in  the  single  sentence,  "  Thy 
kingdom  come."  The  Lord's  Prayer  is  therefore  a  prayer  of 
consecration  as  well  as  petition.  For  we  know  that  God  is  more 
eager  to  establish  the  kingdom  of  righteousness  than  any  of 
us  can  ever  be.  We  come  as  children  to  the  Father,  and 
we  say,  "  Father,  we  too  are  longing  for  the  coming  of 
Thy  kingdom  more-  than  for  anything  else."  In  short,  Jesus 
taught  His  disciples  a  new  kind  of  prayer:  not  a  form  of 
magic,  through  which  we  may  invoke  the  power  of  the  Al- 
mighty in  order  to  gain  our  own  selfish  ends,  but  a  means 
of  comradeship  between  the  heavenly  Father  and  His  human 
children.  Just  as  human  parents  and  their  sons  and  daughters 
talk  over  together  their  common  plans  and  purposes,  so  Jesus 
would  have  His  disciples  talk  with  their  heavenly  Father  in 
prayer  regarding  that  glorious  kingdom  of  beauty  and  truth 
and  goodness  which  all  true  children  of  God  are  seeking. 


Thirty -five       j'j^  Christian  and  his  Heavenly  Father  191 

Note  4.     Prayer  as  a  Source  of  Spiritual   Strength.     We 

may  now  see  the  answer  to  our  question,  What  is  the  value 
of  prayer?  Just  as  it  is  an  inspiration  to  talk  with  a  human 
friend,  so  it  is  an  inspiration  to  talk  with  God.  The  sense  of 
His  nearness  and  His  love  fills  us  with  new  hope  and  strength 
and  courage  as  we  go  out  to  fight  life's  battles.  Our  prayer 
should  be  far  more  than  a  series  of  requests.  We  may  indeed 
ask  God  for  things  which  we  desire,  and  God  will  grant  our 
requests,  if  it  is  His  will.  There  are  indeed  some  good  gifts 
which  He  longs  to  give  to  us  but  cannot  until  we  ask  for  them. 
Our  petitions,  however,  should  not  be  selfish.  The  motive 
which  inspires  them  should  be  that  expressed  in  the  Lord's 
Prayer,  "  Thy  kingdom  come."  The  chief  value  of  prayer, 
however,  is  not  as  a  means  of  getting  things  from  God,  but 
rather  as  in  itself  a  form  of  social  fellowship  with  God,  our 
nearest  and  dearest  friend.  Jesus  Himself  has  given  us  the 
sublimest  possible  illustration  of  the  real  value  of  prayer. 
In  the  midst  of  the  agony  of  the  Garden  of  Gethsemane, 
when  He  was  "  exceeding  sorrowful,  even  unto  death," 
He  sought  strength  and  comfort  in  prayer.  **  Father," 
He  said,  "  all  things  are  possible  unto  thee;  remove  this  cup 
from  me."  Three  times  Jesus  thus  prayed  the  Father  to  take 
from  His  lips,  if  possible,  the  cup  of  anguish  which,  on  the 
morrow.  Calvary  was  to  bring.  Each  time,  however,  He  added 
the  words,  "  Howbeit  not  what  I  will,  but  what  thou  wilt." 
The  cup  was  not  destined  to  pass  until  the  Master  had  tasted 
its  uttermost  bitterness.  Nevertheless,  that  lonely  midnight 
prayer  was  not  in  vain.  For  afterwards,  as  Luke  tells  us, 
an  angel  strengthened  Him  (Lu.  22:43).  Our  petitions,  also, 
may  not  be  granted  as  we  hope  and  dream.  But  if  we  can 
but  frame  our  lips  to  utter  that  great  prayer  of  Jesus,  "  Not 
what  I  will,  but  what  thou  wilt,"  we,  too,  will  find  that  we 
have  not  prayed  in  vain. 

EXPLANATION  OF  SCRIPTURE  PASSAGES. 

Mt.  6:12.  Forgive  us  our  debts:  Sins  are  debts,  short- 
comings in  the  service  of  God.  Mt.  7:8.  For  every  one  that 
asketh  receive th:  Not  always  all  that  they  ask  for,  however. 
The  point  is  that  in  the  spiritual  world,  as  in  the  temporal 
world,  those  who  want  things  eagerly  enough  to  ask  for  them 
Tire  the  persons  who  receive. 


192  Christian  Life  and  Conduct  Lesson 

THOUGHTS  FROM  OTHER  SOURCES. 

"  Lord,  what  a  change  within  us  one  short  hour 
Spent  in  Thy  presence  will  prevail  to  make  I 
What  heavy  burdens  from  our  bosoms  take, 
What  parched  grounds  refresh  as  with  a  shower. 
We  kneel  and  all  around  us  seems  to  lower, 
We  rise  and  all  the  distant  and  the  near 
Stands  forth  in  sunny  outline  brave  and  clear. 
We  kneel  how  weak,  we  rise  how  full  of  power ! 
Why  therefore  do  we  do  ourselves  this  wrong, 
Or  others — that  we  are  not  always  strong. 
That  we  are  ever  overborne  with  care, 
That  we  should  ever  weak  and  heartless  be ; 
Anxious  or  troubled,  when  with  us  is  prayer, 
And  joy,  and  strength,  and  courage  are  with  Thee?  " 

DIRECTIONS  FOR  HOME  STUDY, 
Questions    on    the    Lesson.     Before    attempting    to    answer   these 

questions,  read  carefully  all  the  Scripture  passages  referred  to  at  the 

beginning  of  the  lesson. 

1.  Why  do  you  think  Jesus  advised  His  disciples  to  be  absolutely 

alone  when  praying? 


2.  Does  this  mean  that   Jesus  would   disapprove   of   such   public 
prayer  as  is  offered  in  church  services?     Give  reasons. 


3.  What  reward  did  Jesus  probably  have  in  mind,  when  He  said 
"Thy  Father  who  seeth  in  secret  shall  recompense  thee"?  (Mt. 
6:6;  see  Note  4.) 


4.  Give  an  example  of  the  kind  of  prayer  which  consists  merely  in 
"  vain  repetitions." 


5.  Do  we  necessarily  pray  as  Jesus  would  have  us  pray,  when  we 
say  the  words  of  the  Lord's  Prayer?     What  else  is  essential? 


6.   Did  Jesus  approve  of  prayers  of  thanksgiving?     (See  Mt.  11 :25.) 


Thirty-five       j/^  Christian  and  his  Heavenly  Father  193 

7.  Two  boys  prayed  for  a  bicycle,  as  below;  which  of  them  prayed 
more  nearly  in  the  spirit  of  Jesus?     Why? 

(a)  Father,  please  send  me  a  bicycle  so  that  I  may  have  a 
good  time  with  it. 

(b)  Father,  I  need  a  bicycle  in  order  to  earn  money  for  my 
mother  selling  papers.  If  it  be  Thy  will,  show  me  how  to  earn  money 
to  buy  one. 


8.  A  meeting  was  called  one  very  dry  summer  to  pray  for  rain. 
After  a  few  days,  there  was  indeed  a  refreshing  rain.  A  small  boy 
inquired,  "  When  will  they  hold  the  thank-you  m.eeting?  "  Which 
prayer  was  probably  the  more  pleasing  to  God,  the  petition  for  rain, 
or  the  thanksgiving  for  the  rain? 


Note-book  Work.     Make  a  collection  of  prayers  which   seem  to 

you  beautiful.  There  are  many  beautiful  prayers  in  the  Psalms,  for 
example,  42:1;  51:10;  131:1,  2;  139:23,  24.  Paste  in  your  note- 
book those  which  you  like  best.  Add  others,  from  other  sources,  if 
possible.     Your  teacher  may  be  able  to  help  you  in  this. 


194  Christian  Life  and  Conduct  ^^s«^ 

Lesson    36.     REVIEW.     The    Two    Great    Commandments, 
as  Illustrated  in  the  Lessons  of  this  Course. 

Scripture  Lesson,  Mk.  12:28-34. 

Note  1.  What  is  the  Fundamental  Principle  of  the  Christian 
Life?  In  the  preceding  thirty-five  lessons,  we  have  made 
a  study  of  Christian  life  and  conduct.  As  we  come  to  the 
close  of  the  course,  there  may  be  pupils  who  are  somewhat 
bewildered.  Must  we  remember  all  the  details  of  these 
thirty-five  lessons,  in  order  to  be  Christians?  Is  there  not 
some  short  and  simple  statement  of  the  Christian  way  of 
living,  in  which  all  these  details  are,  in  principle,  included? 

Note  2.  What  Commandment  is  First  of  All?  The  scribe 
who  came  to  Jesus  with  the  above  question  was  probably 
actuated  by  this  same  desire  for  some  short  and  simple  formula 
for  right  living.  The  Mosaic  law  was  long  and  complex; 
page  after  page,  it  stretches  out,  through  Exodus,  Leviticus, 
Numbers  and  Deuteronomy.  Furthermore,  each  generation 
of  scribes  had  added  its  "  traditions,"  until  in  the  time  of 
Jesus  only  those  who  could  spend  their  lives  in  a  special  study 
of  these  matters  might  hope  to  understand  them.  We  can 
easily  sympathize,  therefore,  with  the  earnest-minded  scribe 
who  asked  Jesus,  "  What  commandment  is  first  of  all?  " 
"  Surely,"  he  means,  "  not  all  of  these  laws  are  of  equal  im- 
portance. Is  there  not  one  which  is  more  essential  than  all 
the  others,  so  that  if  a  man  obey  this  one  commandment  he 
will  be  not  far  from  the  kingdom  of  God?  " 

Note  3.  The  Two  Great  Commandments.  In  response  to 
the  scribe's  question,  Jesus  answered  that  there  was  one 
commandment  greater  than  all  others.  It  was  the  com- 
mandment found  in  Deut.  6:  5,  "  Thou  shalt  love  Jehovah 
thy  God  with  all  thy  heart,  and  with  all  thy  soul,  and  with 
all  thy  might."  To  this  "  first  commandment  "  Jesus 
immediately  added  a  second  commandment,  taken  from 
Lev.  19:18,  "Thou  shalt  love  thy  neighbor  as  thyself." 
"  There  is  none  other  commandment,"  Jesus  says,  "  greater 
than  these."  "  On  these  two  commandments  the  whole 
law  hangeth  "  (Mt.  22:40).  In  other  words,  if  you  keep 
these  two  commandments,  you  will  keep  all  that  is  essential 
in  the  whole  Mosaic  code.     Other  religious  teachers  before 


Thirty-six  Review  195 

Jesus  had  emphasized  the  importance  of  one  or  another  of 
these  two  commandments.  The  first  of  them  was  in  fact 
repeated  twice  a  day  by  every  loyal  Jew,  as  a  kind  of  confession 
of  faith.  The  great  rabbi  Hillel  had  declared  that  love  for 
one's  neighbor  is  the  kernel  of  the  law.  The  greatness  of 
Jesus,  however,  consists  in  this,  that  He  took  these  two  com- 
mandments, which  are  widely  separated  in  the  books  of  the 
Pentateuch,  and  put  them  together  as  had  not  hitherto  been 
done.  In  so  doing  He  taught  that  they  belong  together. 
He  means  that  God  dwells  in  all  human  lives.  Love  for  God 
must  therefore  express  itself  not  merely  in  ritual  observances, 
but  in  love  for  one's  neighbor,  and  in  deeds  of  neighborly 
kindness.  Love  for  one's  neighbor  should  likewise  be  in- 
spired by  love  for  God. 

Note  4.  The  Unity  of  All  Human  Lives  in  God.  These  two 
commandments,  as  Jesus  has  associated  them  together, 
imply  that  God's  life,  my  life,  and  my  neighbor's  life,  are  all 
bound  up  together  in  a  living  unity.  Certainly,  therefore,  he 
who  would  be  a  Christian  must  not  live  for  self.  On  the  other 
hand,  it  is  not  right  to  say  that  he  should  live  for  others,  that 
is,  disregarding  entirely  his  individual  interests.  The  com- 
mandment does  not  bid  us  to  love  our  neighbor  more  than 
ourselves.  To  be  a  Christian  does  mean,  however,  to  live 
for  the  common  welfare,  to  seek  first  the  interests  of  that 
kingdom  which  includes  both  myself  and  my  fellow  men, 
and  not  us  faulty  human  beings  alone,  but  also  the  heavenly 
Father,  "  in  whom  we  live  and  move  and  have  our  being." 
This  is  the  meaning  of  the  two  great  commandments,  and  the 
essence  of  the  Christian  life. 

THOUGHTS  FROM  OTHER  SOURCES. 

A  Chicago  University  professor  lately  presented  to  his  class  in  college 
the  following  list  of  questions  that  he  declared  ought  to  be  answered 
satisfactorily  by  every  student  before  graduation  : 

Do  you  see  anything  to  love  in  a  little  child  ? 

Have  you  sympathy  with  all  good  causes  ? 

Can  you  look  straight  in  the  eye  of  an  honest  man  or  a  pure  woman  ? 

Will  a  lonely  dog  follow  you  ? 

Do  you  believe  in  lending  a  helping  hand  to  weaker  men  ? 

Do  you  believe  in  taking  advantage  of  the  law  when  you  can  do  so  ? 

Can  you  be  high-minded  and  happy  in  drudgery? 


196  Christian  Life  and  Conduct 

Can  vou  see  as  much  beauty  in  washing  dishes  and  hoeing  corn 
as  in  playing  golf  and  playing  the  piano? 
Do  you  know  the  value  of  time  and  money? 
Are  you  good  friends  with  yourself  ? 
Do  you  see  anything  in  life  besides  dollars  and  cents  ? 

DIRECTIONS  FOR  STUDY. 

1.  Choose  six  of  the  lessons  in  this  course,  and  show  that  the  man 
who  keeps  the  two  great  commandments  will  perform  the  duties  that 
are  discussed  in  these  lessons. 

w 

(^ 

«^ 

2.  In  the  following  lessons  show  what  neighbor,  or  what  class  of 
neighbors,  is  benefited  or  injured  by  each  of  the  virtues,  and  each  of  the 
wrongs  that  are  studied.  (For  example,  in  the  case  of  murder,  the 
injury  is  not  merely  to  the  neighbor  who  is  murdered,  but  also  to  his 
relatives,  and  finally  to  all  men.) 

(j)  Lesson  2. 

(2)  Lesson  6. 

(j)  Lesson  13. 

{4)  Lesson  16. 

(5)  Lesson  28. 

(6)  Lesson  29. 


THE   END. 


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